


Is This A Game To You?

by Bfly1225



Category: BLACKPINK (Band), 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: Blackpink shows up eventually, Gore, M/M, Sope, Vampire AU, Vampires, aka Jungkook never gets to speak a full sentance without being cut off lmao, authot is trying her hand at a vague horror, bts - Freeform, namjin - Freeform, shamelessly getting ready for spooky season before it's here, should be working on my other two fics but whatever, taekook, vampire attacks
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-11
Updated: 2019-02-11
Packaged: 2019-07-10 23:29:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 38
Words: 37,991
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15959855
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bfly1225/pseuds/Bfly1225
Summary: "Namjoon, they think it's a fucking game it's not. . . I. . .""I know, Jin.""No you don't! You weren't there, Namjoon, you don't know what I saw! You don't know what they saw."Namjoon fell silent."They toy with humans like it's fucking joke, Namjoon. Jungkook and Taehyung are MISSING, Namjoon! We can't stand by!""They're safe.""What?""I said, they're safe. That's all you need to know right now.""Is this a game to you, too?"





	1. What They Found

**Author's Note:**

> hey so i'm starting a third fic oops

To Jin, nothing had been different that day. Very common, really. They had the day off, but none of them had been given notice enough to make any plans, so they'd been just hanging out in the dorm, and then Jungkook stood up from the thick silence that normally sat over the dorm,   
"I need to sh-" He began, as Taehyung made grabby hands for him to come back. He was cut off by a noise, something like screeching, or crashing, or screaming, and it was terrifying, knocking Jin flat on his ass from where he'd been balanced on the arm of the couch.   
"What the fucking hell was that?" He asked, unplugging his ears.   
"What was what?" Namjoon asked, looking up from his phone, seemingly unbothered.   
"No, I heard it too." Jungkook frowned, turning around in a slight circle. "From. . .that way?" He pointed towards the back of the building.   
"No no, that way." Jin argued, pointing towards the street.  
"It was definitely that way, hyung." Jungkook replied, stubborn.   
"Did you guys like. Hear something?" JImin asked, sticking his head into the living room.   
"Yeah."  
"No." Namjoon looked up again, turning off his phone to look around at the gathering, now only missing Hoseok and Yoongi, who'd elected to sleep in.   
"Is this a prank or something?" Taehyung asked, obviously confused, Namjoon shot him a glance.   
"Yeah, guys. This is weird. I really didn't hear anything."   
"No no, I heard it, but. . .I think they're overreacting." Taehyung said, standing up. ". . .We should go check out what it was." He said, staring the direction of the back of the building.   
"Yeah."  
"I legitimately have no idea what the fresh hell you four are talking about!" Namjoon cried. "Just stay up here, it was probably a stray cat fight or something stupid like that."  
"What if someone's in trouble, hyung?" Taehyung asked.   
"Someone's always in trouble." Namjoon shrugged.   
"Yeah, but we can help-"  
"You want to help someone in trouble, do a vlive, maybe someone's going through a rough time and needs someone to talk to." Namjoon snapped.   
"I'm not a Doctor of pepper, Hyung, but I think you're giving me one hundred and thirty seven flavors of sass." Taehyung said, putting a hand on his hip.   
"Shut up, Tae." He shot a nasty glare. Tae didn't flinch, but that really didn't mean much. Taehyung wasn't the flinchy type.   
"Joon, maybe. . . calm down. . . a little?" Jin said, hesitant to place a hand on the agitated man's arm.   
"You're right." Namjoon stood up and walked away, going to his room, running his hands through messy hair dyed light for the music video shooting that had been cancelled due to weather, and much of the crew had fallen ill. The director's daughter had, also, gone missing.   
They weren't too surprised, since the child had a penchant to wander off. They felt sorry, of course, for such a hard time, but honestly, it was like the kid needed a personal leash.   
Taehyung and Jungkook glanced at each other, and Jin watched Namjoon leave.   
"So we're gonna go see what happened, right?" Jungkook asked.   
"Uh, hell yeah we are. Jimin?" Taehyung turned to the boy who'd flattened himself against the hallway wall to make room for their angered leader.   
"No- no thanks. I think I'll stay up here." Jimin said, nervously glancing toward the brick wall that marked the end of the dorm building and scooching towards the front of the house.   
"Suit yourself." Jin shrugged and ran to the door, throwing a jacket over his hoodie with Taehyung and Jungkook in tow. Taehyung threw on sunglasses, claiming that if he was going to get murdered in an alley he must be properly accessorized. Jungkook laughed and agreed, stealing one of Yoongi's hats. He wouldn't be missing it, he was asleep.   
As he always on days off.   
Jin wasted no time with the elevator, launching himself down the stairs many steps at a time. Jungkook raced past him, and Taehyung followed in pursuit. They burst out of the door, now just making a simple mad dash to see who could get to the alley out back fastest.   
"What the fuck-" Jungkook stopped short as he turned the corner, backing up and tripping over his own feet. His mouth formed a scream but now sound came out as the two older boys also rounded the corner. Taehyung turned and emptied his stomach on the pavement and Jin was frozen, slippers stuck to the ground as he stared at the hellish display behind the dorm. 

The walls were drenched in blood, thick sheet coating windows. It smelled of blood and something else fowl that Jin's brain could place, the sting of copper flooding his senses. The more he focused- god, he couldn't tear his eyes away- the more he began to notice.  
A foot here.  
A finger there.   
A leg torn almost beyond recognition.  
The pieces got bigger as they reached the end of the narrow alley, until Jin's eyes took in the sight of a body and his lungs took in sudden air, an holy scream exiting his body like it had been trapped. It hurt his throat, but the terror was too much as he witnessed the scene of- not a murder, murder would have been a kindness- an unspeakable crime. The only thought he mind could grasp at was that this was hell.  
Taehyung look up again and looked back down, wretching up more bile as Jungkook stared in horror. He didn't have anything to push OUT of his body, but it still felt wrong.   
"Shit, they've seen." Came a low voice. Taehyung was the first to look up, in time to see two men in dark suits approach them.   
"Aren't those guys those famous ones?" Asked the other.   
"I don't know, I can never keep up with mortal celebrities. So much drama, it's hard to tell who I'm supposed to enjoy. I'll stick with the classics."   
"Who- who- who-" Jungkook stuttered, turning his eyes with much effort to the men.   
"Your worst nightmare, pretty boy." the first one flashed a smile, seemingly normal for a moment, until you realized. . .  
Red stains painting the man's naturally pink lips.   
Crimson marking his teeth.   
Giant fangs falling down into place about normal canine teeth.   
Jin tried to scream again, but his voice had fled him.   
"This is going to be fun." 

 

"NAMJOON!" Jin screamed, stumbling through the door, his knees collapsing on the premises. He tried to fight the urge to black out as he struggled to breathe on the floor.  
"What- what's-" Namjoon stood upright, moving over and kneeling in front of the oldest.   
"Joon-" Jin gasped, and Namjoon grabbed Jin's forearms.  
"Jinnie, look at me. Eyes, please." He sounded too calm for this situation. JIn brought his terrified eyes up to meet Namjoon's opening his mouth to begin yelling again, but lost his energy, and felt. . .not better, but calmer.  
"Breathe." Namjoon commanded, and he obeyed. "Stand up." And he did, allowing himself to be walked over to the bed. Namjoon left for a moment-it seemed like an eternity before he returned with a bottle of water in hand.   
"Drink." He said, putting a hand on Jin's back as Jin obeyed. He sat down and began moving his hand in a solid circle over Jin's tense back. "What happened?"  
"They- they- they- blood everywhere, Namjoon, there was- a man- or a woman- and I-" He began to shudder and hyperventilate. Namjoon enveloped Jin in a hug.   
"It's okay, Jin. It's okay." He shushed him.   
"It's not okay, Namjoon." He sobbed. "He took them."   
"Who took who?"  
"I don't know, but they took Tae and Kook and I couldn't protect them and I RAN. I ran," He repeated, hiccupping. "What kind of fucking hyung am I?"   
"What color was his suit?"  
"Why does it matter?" Jin asked in a high voice, pushing Namjoon away.   
"Just tell me, Jinnie."  
"Purple." He replied, grudgingly, and Namjoon let out a breath he'd seemingly been holding.   
"They were terrifying," He whispered.   
"I know."  
"Namjoon, they think it's a fucking game it's not. . . I. . ."   
"I know, Jin."  
"No you don't! You weren't there, Namjoon, you don't know what I saw! You don't know what they saw."  
Namjoon fell silent.   
"They toy with humans like it's fucking joke, Namjoon. Jungkook and Taehyung are MISSING, Namjoon! We can't stand by!"   
"They're safe." Namjoon said, firmly.  
"What?"  
"I said, they're safe. That's all you need to know right now." Namjoon repeated, gentle.   
"Is this a game to you, too?" Jin asked, standing up.   
"Of course not, but I need to keep my head right now." Namjoon looked upset, certainly, but in such a minuscule way, as if he dropped a cracker and not lost the two youngest members of his band behind a building covered in blood.   
"How? How are you fucking CALM right now?"  
"I know they're safe. They'll be back by sundown." Namjoon assured Jin, but he didn't feel reassured.   
"What about the disgusting crime scene behind the building? How does that not seem dangerous to you?" JIn insisted.   
"Check a window, I guarantee it's not there anymore" Namjoon shrugged and Jin sotrmed out of the room, practically breaking down the door to his room and waking up Yoongi, who groaned as Jin tore back a curtain to stare into the alley.   
It was spotless.   
"What the fuck, hyung?" Yoongi asked, visibly annoyed as he shielded his eyes from the brutal attack.   
"What the fuck is right." He breathed, and turned on his heel, stumbling from the room. "What the fuck?"  
"What did you see?"  
"Nothing."  
"Exactly. It'll be fine." NAmjoon shook his head as if Jin was being childish.   
"Hyungs?" Jimin poked his head into the room.  
"Yeah, Jiminie?"  
"Where's Hoseokie-hyung?"


	2. Kidnapping

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Kayy, so you guys are fucking nuts then. Coooool."   
> "Taehyung, please stop enraging our kidnappers."   
> "We like to think of it as recusing. The pink ties would've torn your sorry throats out and shoved them up you asses, but the Mask told us to get you guys out of there."  
> "What's the mask?"   
> "You see, this mask is this wonderful thing called none of your goddamn business."

"Whassgoin on?" Taehyung slurred, and tried to stand up.   
"Sit down, you need to rest." A chilling voice reached Taehyung's ears.   
"Tae, just do what they say." Jungkook nudged him gently.   
"Where are we?"  
"I'm not sure. They won't tell me."   
A blindfold had been stretched over both boy's eyes, and Taehyung's other senses were working overtime to try and make up for the loss of vision.   
"I can't see." Taehyung pointed out. "And I'm hungry. I get whiny when I'm hungry. Can I be let out? Please? I don't want to annoy-"  
"Shut up." The voice snapped.   
"Fair enough." Taehyung silenced himself to feel movement. They were in a car of some sort. Probably a van, since, he didn't feel seats under him and instead floor. And Jungkook behind him, his back pressed against his.   
"Listen, Blake, they're not even supposed to be awake for this." Came yet another voice.   
"I'm curious about the blonde one, though." Protested Blake.   
"What's there to be curious about? He's plain." Argued back the other man in the van.   
"How come he was ready to put up a fight in the ally again the pink ties? The other two were pinned, but he was gonna try and fight 'em. That's not a thing with mortals." Blake asked, and Taehyung felt the weight of the man's stare on him.   
"Sometimes you get a brave one."   
"Nah, not only that. He smells different."   
"I use a really nice shampoo. It's kinda expensive, though-"  
"Shut up, pretty boy." Blake snapped.   
"No no, let him finish, I wanna hear this."   
"Very funny, dude. What's your deal, kid?"  
"Okay, kid is a little rude-"  
"Yo're younger than me, kid. What's your deal? You threw up at the crime scene, that's not a very vampiric of you."   
"I'm not a vampire." Taehyung scoffed. "They don't exist, dude. Listen, I'll just give you my manager's number, I'm sure they'll give you all the money you want from this situation, probably more."  
"We're not doing this for the money, kid. And vampires do exist. One told us to come snag you. And let me tell you, your little buddy smells fucking amazing." Blake growled, Taehyung heard the voice get closer with footsteps.   
"Don't you dare touch Jungkook." He growled, jerking in Blake's direction. "If you're gonna hurt him, hurt me."   
"How courageous. Calm down blondie, the Mask told us not to hurt you two at any cost. So I gotta wait for dinner."  
"Kayy, so you guys are fucking nuts then. Coooool."   
"Taehyung, please stop enraging our kidnappers."   
"We like to think of it as recusing. The pink ties would've torn your sorry throats out and shoved them up you asses, but the Mask told us to get you guys out of there."  
"What's the mask?" Jungkook asked tentatively.   
"You see, this mask is this wonderful thing called none of your goddamn business." Taehyung felt the van shift as Blake collapsed back in his seat.   
"It was a valid question. If it knows about us, we'd kinda like know what it is." He defended Jungkook's question.   
"HE is our leader. Aren't you guys famous our something? everyone knows about you in the mortal world." Blake scoffed.   
"The mortal world." Taehyung repeated blankly.   
"Yeah, dumbass, I don't pay attention to media. Too busy saving thankless blonde assholes."  
"This still feels an awful lot like kidnapping, Blank or whatever your name is."   
"Blake." He ground out.   
"Yeah. It would be nicer if like. . .less blindfolds? More free movement, maybe?"   
"We can't do that yet. It'll be like this when we bring you back, too."  
"Back from where?" Jungkook asked.   
"The mansion. Enough questions. I'm not allowed to tell you too much and I really don't wanna have to put you two to sleep again. It's not good to do it close together like that."  
"But what if I don't believe in magic? I'm a Christian?" Taehyung asked.  
"It still exists." Blake scoffed.   
"Oh, that's why he's off. He probably has a holy symbol on him." The other voice piped up.   
"Fuck." Blake groaned. "Really?"  
"Yeah, it's probably why he smells off too. Mystery solved."   
"Yeah, that makes sense now. I though we passed by a church or something."  
"No, you know I hate going past those. Fuckin smell sticks to everything."   
"I don't like churches either. They're kinda haunting." Jungkook volunteered.   
"Maybe he's the vampire. He's certainly vampire material." Blake seemingly joked. "Maybe we should ask the mask."  
"Sounds like a game show." Taehyung hummed.   
"Yeah, if the game show normally ends with your spine being ripped out through your ass."   
"Question, have you experienced this often?"   
"You are testing my patience, pinky."   
"But Tae's been talking this whole time!"  
"But you're more obnoxious and whiny."   
"Leave Jungkook-ah alone." Taehyung whined.  
"I take it back, you both need to shut the hell up."

 

Taehyung and Jungkook were forced from the van as it stopped, lead up stairs and through hallways, turning often. It smelled damp in the building they were now in, occasionally copper tinging the air. Jungkook was cold and afraid, feeling eyes on him the entire way through the building before they were tossed into a room, their hands untied before Blake slammed and locked the door. Taehyung ripped his blindfold off and sighed in relief as he stood up.   
"I lost Yoongi hyung's hat. He's gonna be fucking pissed." Jungkook broke the silence softly, holding his blindfold in his lap.   
"He'll get over it." Taehyung shrugged as he prowled the edges of the room. There was one boarded up window, and one locked door. now other exits or entrances.  
The room was lit by a ceiling light, wiring exposed. The room seemed waterlogged and in disorder. Taehyung assumed that wherever this was, it was a broken down building that these crazy fuckers moved into. He looked back to Jungkook, who was still on his knees on the floor.   
"Jungkook. What's wrong?"  
"Hyung, how are you calm right now?" Jungkook demanded. "We just got KIDNAPPED. By VAMPIRES."  
"Vampires don't exist, Kookie." Taehyung rolled his eyes. "The manager has probably already gotten someone to come find us. We just have to wait."   
"What if they kill us before then? Because they're either delusional or they eat humans!"   
"They could drink animal blood."  
"They're still made to drink human blood!"   
"Fair point. Uhh." Taehyung mussed up his hair. "Listen, they said their boss said not to hurt us and they also said they'd be taking us home."   
"How can we trust them?"  
"Well. . ."   
"Exactly, Taehyung. We might not make it out of this. We'll never see our families again. We'll never see the hyungs again. They might not even find out what happened to us." Jungkook was showing telltale signs of another anxiety attack. Taehyung walked over and wrapped his arms around him.   
"Whatever happens, Kookie, it'll only be made worse by being scared. I've made peace with this. If we get out, we get out. If we don't. . .Jungkook, I wouldn't want to trapped here with anyone else."   
"That's a nice sentiment, hyung. But it doesn't help."  
"Jungkook, it's more than just a sentiment." Taehyung drew away. If we don't make it out, I wanted to tell you-"

" _Hit you with that dudu du du~_ "   
Taehyung jumped as his phone went off. He hadn't expected his phone to still be in his pocket.   
"Blackpink? Really?"  
"Yeah, they're nice. Sue me." Taehyung picked up the phone. 

"Oh thank god, Taehyung." Namjoon's voice came from the other side of the phone.   
"Hyung!"  
"You're safe, right? Are you okay? Where's Kookie? Is Hoseok with you?" 

"Hoseok-hyung isn't here. But, uh, Jungkook is here. Not hurt. Some crazy fuckers kidnapped us but didn't take our cells. Crazy, right?"  
"Yeah, turn on your location."  
"Good idea. I have no idea where we are."  
"Listen, stay there, don't move, stay calm, if you find Hoseok, stick with him as much as you can. We're coming to get you soon." 

"Namjoon- God damn it. He hung up." Taehyung sighed, and fiddled with the settings on his phone. "Should I try to call Hoseokie?"   
"Probably."  
"I don't know, though, my phone is really low."   
"Ooooff course it is." 


	3. It's Probably the Authorities

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Calm down, Jungkook. If they wanted to get in here, they have the key. It's probably the authorities."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry, this one's short.

Jungkook flinched as the door was kicked once.

Twice.

Three times.

"Calm down, Jungkook. If they wanted to get in here, they have the key. It's probably the authorities." Taehyung said, still trying to calm down his panicking friend. Taehyung was, perhaps, having his own doubts. 

"I know." Jungkook's wavering and stuttering didn't sell his fearlessness in any way.   
"KOOK-AHHHH! TAETAE-AHHHHHH!" Came a strangled cry, and a pause, and then suddenly, the door was burst open, Hoseok hanging in the doorway and panting with the effort of kicking down the door.   
"Hoseok-hyung!" Taehyung laughed in relief, and Jungkoook stared, doe-eyed, at his hyung standing in the doorway. 

"ARE YOU OKAY?!?!" Came the screeching of Jin, who appeared over Hoseok's shoulder. 

"Unharmed, at least." Taehyung provided.   
"Oh thank fuck," Sighed the voice of their leader. 

"Joon-hyung!" Taehyung grinned.  
"Hi Tae." He called back. 

"Listen, we've gotta fucking GO." Hoseok said. "I just kinda ran from the managers when they told me not to go after you guys and wait for the authorities so I have no idea who's where."  
"I drove!" Jin called proud of himself.

"Yoongi stayed home and Jimin's out in the van."  
"Scaredy cat."   
"Okay, well, some of us don't feel like rushing into a kidnapper's headquarters headfirst, Hobi. It's better for self preservation. But believe me, he's been crying his eyes out since you guys went missing." Namjoon informed them.   
"Let's drag our asses." Hoseok urged.   
"Agreed." Taehyung sighed, standing up. "Kookie, come-" He looked down Jungkook, who was. . .

Crying.

Knees curled to his chest, shoulders shaking, as he cried. 

"Kookie-" Jin pushed past Hoseok gently, stepping towards Jungkook. 

"What if you three had gotten _hurt_?" Jungkook sobbed, hiccuping his way through the sentence. 

"What if _you two_ had gotten hurt?" Jin countered. 

"You shouldn't have come for us. They're vampires. Honest to god vampires-"  
"Kook-ah." Namjoon stepped into the room as well and kneeled in front of the youngest member. "There are no such thing as vampires. They can't hurt you." 

"They knocked me and Tae out."  
"Tae and I, and it's entirely possible they used a drug and they were just trying to scare you." Namjoon spoke far too calmly for the situation in Jungkook's opinion. 

"No, you weren't there. You didn't see what I saw." Jungkook shook his head. 

"Kookie, shock does things to the human brain. Listen, we're gonna get out of here and go home and alert the authorities. We didn't run into any opposition getting in." Namjoon gently pulled Jungkook to his feet with strong hands.

"Okay. I- I just- okay." Jungkook wiping at his face. 

Namjoon lead the way out of the room, turning down the hallway and keeping an ear out for any potential criminals. Jin and Hoseok made sure Taehyung and Jungkook stayed in the middle, Hoseok bringing up the rear. He was being. . .surprisingly brave for the easily frightened Hobi they were used to during Run BTS. 

"I'm glad they didn't bruise your guys' faces. We have that awards show in a few days." Jin mentioned.   
"You sound like manager-hyung." Taehyung snorted. 

"It's true. everyone's gonna be there. Even blackpink."  
"Oh, yay! I hope we're seated together." Taehyung grinned. 

"Yeah, Lisa was really fun." Jungkook agreed.  
"Maknaes attract, I guess." Hoseok giggled. 

"Hey, I am not attracted to her, she's just nice and fun to joke with." Jungkook sniffed.   
"Mmmmmmmhmm."  
"Do I have to be jealous of Lisa now? Are you cheating on me?" Taehyung teased.   
"I would never, babe." Jungkook cooed, his voice heavy with the tears from their room. 

"H'okay, too far. Bring it back." Taehyung frowned, making the group laugh. 

"Shhh, idiots, they could be anywhere!" Namjoon spat as he stuck his head around a corner before walking out into the open. 

"I'm trying to cope with potential trauma, can I be spared from the punishment of silence?" Taehyung asked. 

"No, Tae, we really gotta be quiet." Jungkook frowned. 

"Fffffine." Taehyung pouted and allowed himself to be lead away from his kidnapper's lair.

 

 

 

"Jungkookie! Taehyungie!" Cried Jimin as the doors to the van were wrenched open. 

"Jimin!" Taehyung launched himself into a hug with Jimin, who had been pitching himself forward already. Their heads collided with a loud thunk and Jungkook got into the van on the other side, trapping Jimin in the middle seat. 

"Come on Jin, drive." Hoseok urged Jin, who fumbled with the keys in the ignition as Taehyung and Jimin rubbed their now-aching heads. 

"How did you guys-"  
"We tracked your phone, remember?" Hoseok cut Taehyung off.   
"Yeah, exactly."Namjoon agreed.

"Sounds fake, but okay." Taehyung memed. 

"How are you so upbeat?" Jimin asked, incredulously. 

"Being sad about it will definitely earn my trauma. If I take things in stride, it's easier to sort through later!" Taehyung explained. "It's like mental paperwork I work on at bed time."

"You don't go to bed, you just play video games or soap operas." Namjoon rolled his eyes. 

"Oh, you know what I mean." Taehyung frowned. 

"Yeah, I know, but you just make it so easy." 

"Rude, hyung."  
"I know."

 


	4. An Earful, An Argument

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jin parked the van.   
> "We're gonna get such a fucking earful from the managers."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some shit's going down! I still really wanna hear theories about just what's going on.

Jin parked the van.   
"We're gonna get such a fucking earful from the managers." Jin sighed as he turned off the motor.   
"I'll talk to them, it's fine." Namjoon dismissed.   
"Don't take responsibility, Joon." Hoseok frowned. "I'm the one who ran for it."   
"No, I'm the leader, it's my job to get yelled at for you guys."  
"I'm sorry, hyung." Jungkook whispered.   
"Jungkook, do not apologize for getting snatched." Namjoon stated firmly, and opened the door.   
"Yeah, Jungkookie. You're not at fault unless you're running around and kidnapping people." Jimin grinned and clapped at Jungkook's shoulder, showing all his teeth in the way he did when he was confident as he climbed over the younger boy to get to the door and get out. Jungkook met this with silence as Taehyung bit the inside of his cheek.  
He'd talk to Jungkook later.   
For now, he just wanted to enjoy being home with the rest of his family. 

Namjoon lead the charge back into the dorm, where a sleepy Yoongi was waiting. They second oldest snapped out of the dozing he'd been doing and looked up, grinning and beyond glad to see every member return home safe. However, less enthusiastic was Namjoon when his phone rang. He growled in frustration.   
"That'd be the managers. Give me a moment, guys. I'll. . . I'll be back." He let the others go inside the dorm before him and pciked up the phone with a sigh, beginning to walk away.   
"Yoongi hyung, any reason you didn't join the heroic rescuing of Kookie and I?"  
"I wasn't woken up for it. Apologies." He croaked.   
"We decided against it." Hoseok laughed.   
"You decided. . . not to wake up. . . for when two of my dongsaengs went missing. . . but you'll wake me up. . . to show me. . . a meme. At five in the morning. Right after I fall asleep." Yoongi dramatically stretched out the sentence, making Hoseok wait for every cluster of words.   
"Yeah, I was sleep deprived, and also you threatened to beat my ass into the grass if I ever woke you up again, sooooo. . . decided to lead the charge by myself. Well, Namjoon found them. Jin. . ." Hoseok trailed off, glancing to the older man.   
"I drove." He supplied.   
"Jin-hyung drove." Hoseok repeated, nodding.   
"It's fine." Taehyung smiled. "We're okay now, and I imagine that the security's gonna be really tight now. Might be a bother, but we'll be safe, at least." Taehyung shrugged and sat down, patting the seat next to him to invite the still silent and quite obviously still guilt-ridden Jungkook to sit down with him.   
"All this and then the awards show on Friday," Jin sighed, collapsing in a chair. "I wonder how we're supposed to smile for the television."   
"I wonder what Namjoon-hyung has prepared to say." Jungkook hummed quietly.   
"I wonder how the makeup artists are gonna cover up the bags under our eyes."  
"Oh, they do it all the time. It's magic, and all that jazz, you guys know that." Hoseok waved a hand.  
"True." Yoongi hummed.   
"Whoa, Hoseokie-hyung. You got words out of him." Jimin joked.   
"Ah, shut up Jimin. I talk plenty."  
"Not really, you sleep more. Even at fansigns and practice. I don't get it. How does one fall asleep standing?" Jimin argued.   
"Easy. One is incredibly tired of his dongsaeng's bullshit."   
"Harsh words, hyung. Harsh words." Jimin pouted and folded his arms. 

The group chatted until Namjoon opened the door, nearly tearing it off his hinges. Frustration was painted on his face, and he seemed to be actively trying to control his breathing, though Jin didn't seem to suppose it was working. Jin was concerned. Namjoon didn't normally get this. . .angry. Almost ever, in Jin's experience with the leader. But now, Namjoon seemed furious, the anger seeping off of him into an almost tangible aura. It made Jin want to become as small as possible and hide, hide forever and ever. He shook of the feeling, telling himself that, despite the anger, it was Namjoon, his band mate, one of the closest people in the world to him. Jungkook seemed to shrink under the weight of Namjoon's anger.   
"Hyung, are you-" Jimin began to ask, one that was less afraid of Namjoon's wrath.   
"No, I'm not okay. The managers are furious. They're idiots." He spat. "They want to put us on complete house arrest and cancel going to the awards show."   
"They can't do that!" Taehyung frowned. "We might win, it'll be so weird if we just don't show up!"  
"I know, we'd be letting a lot of people down." Namjoon ran his hands through his hair, stress taking over anger as he let the presence of his family calm him. "And the coordinators would probably be inconvenienced. It'd be a dick move."   
"Agreed." Yoongi nodded, and Namjoon shot him a glance of appreciation as Yoongi stared pointedly at Jimin.   
"But. . . they have a point, don't they? Taehyung and Jungkook got kidnapped today." Jin reasoned.   
"We're on camera all the time at awards shows, plus the insane security at those sorts of things. We'd be perfectly safe." Namjoon insisted.   
"There was a body behind our building, Namjoon-hyung. It was literally exploded. That's terrifying." Jungkook spoke up.   
"It wasn't there when I checked." Namjoon spat.   
"But it was so real, I could smell it and every-"  
"Jungkook, it wasn't there, I checked." He cut him off angrily. "Why are we arguing about this."  
"Hyung, it was definitely there." Taehyung defended Jungkook.   
"Okay, I think you guys need to get your heads checked. First the noise thing, and now-"  
"What noise thing?"  
"Don't cut me off, Yoongi, I am talking."  
"No need for that." Yoongi warned. Namjoon and Yoongi locked eyes and they stared, the friction seemingly igniting the air.   
"You two," Jin interrupted firmly. "This is not helping. Yoongi had a point-"  
"Jin, piss off." Namjoon snapped, louder than expected. Most of the boys flinched, and Jin winced, but stood his ground.   
"No Namjoon, go cool off, You're not doing us any good when you're like this." Jin stood up, meeting the intimidating leader in the eye. Jungkook held in a breath, terrified more of the radio silence that was following as Namjoon stared down Jin.   
"You're right." He gave up, but he seemed so insincere. "I'll go cool off." He snarled, turning on his heel and leaving again, the slam of the door shaking the room.   
The living room dripped into silence, six men now without their leader and afraid to go after him. Jin practically threw himself back down into his chair and buried his face in his hands. He never fought with Namjoon, and it felt terrible, because now he was so obviously mad at him. Namjoon stormed off into the streets where Taehyung and Jungkook had been kidnapped and a person had been turned inside out in an alley, and it was all Jin's fault. What if Namjoon got snatched, too? went missing, and he turned up dead somewhere?   
"He'll come around." Hoseok spoke up, not wanting anyone to be too upset.   
"But. . .what if. . ." Jimin trailed off, obviously thinking the same as the rest of them.   
"If you speak it, it might just happen." Yoongi drew in a shaky breath. "I'm concerned too, but. . . I'm sure Namjoon can handle himself, right?"   
"Yeah. Hyung is strong." Jungkook spoke, his voice small and broken. Taehyung wrapped an arm around Jungkook.   
". . .You don't blame yourself, right, Kook?" He asked.   
"Please don't blame yourself for him, it's really my fault." Jin offered.   
"If I hadn't brought up the body-"  
"Stop there Kook, stop with that thought." Jimin firmly reached a hand across the table, wrapping Jungkook's hand in his. "Don't even think that, Jungkook. It give those feelings a form, and they are impossible to get rid off once they're physical." Jungkook sniffed and nodded, pressing his hoodied palms to his eyes.   
"Listen, Namjoon-ah is just stressed. A lot had happened today and in the last week, he's facing an inspiration block and you know everyone's breathing down his neck. He might not be handling it great, but he has a really good basket full of reasons." Jin said.   
"He's still being a prick." Yoongi pointed out.   
"True. But it's excused, kinda." Taehyung agreed.   
"We'll talk about it when he comes back tomorrow." Jin smiled tiredly. 

But. . . Namjoon wasn't back the next day.


	5. Misplaced and Misled

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I really hope. . .” He trailed off.  
> “What?”  
> “That we’re as safe here as Namjoon insists.”

Jin woke up to his alarm, groaning and rubbing his face as he urged his phone to shut up, grumbling at it with a croaky voice, commenting that it’d wake the entire building up if it went on like this.   
“I’m already awake.” Yoongi commented.   
“Really?” Jin sat up, rubbing his tired face as he blinked the sleep from his eyes.   
“I never went to sleep.” Yoongi shrugged from his bed, where he was messing with his laptop.  
“Worried about Namjoon-ah?”   
“Well, I was, but that’s not the reason I was awake.” Yoongi admitted.   
“Then why would you pull an all nighter two nights before a big awards show? You know we have to perform for that, right? You need rest. You have a huge part.” Jin went into immediate mom moode, fussing over Yoongi.   
“I slept all day yesterday because you let me go back to sleep. I wasn’t tired, so I started toying with a new idea.” Yoongi shrugged again, which annoyed Jin to no end. It seemed to be his signature downplay. This wasn’t not a big deal, for christ’s sake. “And I did a vlive, talking with the fans a little. It was short, but it was comforting.”   
“I mean, I’m glad, but Yoongi. . .” Jin laughed, “You need to sleep before performances.”  
“I’m aware.” Yoongi smiled at his concerned friend before turning his head back to his laptop. Jin took in the details of his friend’s face for a few more moments, a frown playing at his lips as he noticed the ever-growing bags under Yoongi’s eyes, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth as he watching Yoongi grimace in concentration at the laptop.   
“Where’s my phone?”  
“Wherever you left it, hyung.”   
“It should be, but it isn’t.” Jin’s frown returned, stronger this time. “I plugged it in last night, I know I did. You sure you didn’t move it?”  
“Why in god’s name would I move your phone?” Yoongi asked pointedly, a little miffed at his roommate.   
“I don’t know, but it sure isn’t on the charger. Speaking of, the charger isn’t even plugged in. The hell?”  
“Maybe you grabbed at it in your sleep?”  
“Wouldn’t you have seen?”  
“I spent most of the night and morning in the living room so that my laptop wouldn’t bother you.”   
“Oh. Thanks.” JIn blinked. Normally his roomate gave him no such courtesy. “I’ll ask the guys.”  
“I can just call it.” Yoongi pointed out. “It probably just fell under the bed.”   
“Morning hyungs. Have you guys seen my mouse? It disappeared.” Jungkook walked past the open door, sticking his head in the door.   
“Why in god’s name would we move your mouse?”  
“I don’t know, maybe yours broke.” Jungkook shrugged. “It’s not plugged into my computer, though, and I never unplug the thing. And Jimin lost one of his shirts, he’s tearing up his side of the room.”   
“He has so many, though,” Jin pointed out.  
“I know, but he insists he saw it last night and so it’s driving him crazy.” Jungkook sighed. “And have you guys talking to Namjoon-hyung this morning?”  
“Not yet.” Jin sighed. “I’m afraid he’s-”  
“He’s not back yet.” Yoongi cut Jin off.  
“Not what I was going to say.”   
“No. Namjoon isn’t back yet. I was waiting for him once the sun rose.”  
“You saw the sunrise?” Jungkook asked.   
“When do I not, Kookie?”  
“Are we disregarding the fact that Namjoon isn’t back yet?”  
“Yeah, he probably stayed the night somewhere.” Yoongi shrugged. “Got drunk or something.”   
“He knows he’s not supposed to do that,” Jin scowled.   
“Well, we’re all a little stressed right now.” Yoongi sighed. “He has a reason for violating normal policy this time. We kinda pissed him off.”   
“You’ve changes stances since last night, mister “He’s still a prick”.”  
“I did not say that, I said he was BEING a prick.”  
“Semantics, Yoongles.”  
“Namjoon isn’t a prick, he was just acting like one.”  
“Semantics.” Jin repeated.  
“Can you call him?” Jungkook asked.  
“Why don’t you?” Jin asked.  
“. . .I don’t know.” Jungkook looked down.  
“Yoongi, could you-”  
“His phone’s turned off again. Went straight to voicemail.”  
“Again? What does that mean?”  
“He’s done it before.”  
“Since when?”  
“Since a lot of times in the past when I’m still awake and he leaves. He just leaves at night sometimes. Most times he’s back by now to scold me about getting rest.” Yoongi sounded so nonchalant, but he was clearly unsettled to one who’d seen him often.   
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Jin asked. Honestly, he wanted to know why Namjoon never told him. It was a bad feeling. He felt closest with Namjoon, and thought he’d trust him with whatever rule breaking he was doing. But Yoongi could’ve clued him in.  
“I assumed you knew.” Yoongi blinked.  
“How? How would I know?”  
“Uhhh, because you catch him sneaking out all the time?”  
“No I don’t.”  
“Yeah, you scold him every time.” Jin glanced to Jungkook to back him up on this, but Jungkook had left, muttering something about going to find Taehyung that had gone entirely unnoticed.   
“I think I would remember this.” Jin insisted.   
“Maybe you scold him in your sleep, I don’t know, but it happens.”  
“Why is so much WEIRD going on?” Jin groaned. “So so much weird. I’m starting to doubt my sanity.” He fell back into his bed, holding his hands over his stomach and letting the room fall into silence that met the rhetorical question.   
“I hope Namjoon returns soon.” Jin spoke up.  
“I know. Me too.” Yoongi said, very little sincerity or empathy behind his words as he chewed harmlessly at his thumbnail. He wasn’t about to chew them off, but he needed something between his teeth, so he put his thumb nail there instead. It was an absent minded work habit he’d always had as far as Jin could tell.   
“What if he got snatched?”  
“Then he got snatched. We can’t do much about that.”  
“We took back Tae and Kookie.” Jin protested.   
“We were probably allowed to take them back. You met no resistance in an abandoned building with a parking lot full of assorted cars.”  
“You’re so. . . conspiracy theory.”  
“Grammar? Do you use it?”  
“No, but you know what I mean.”  
“I do.”  
“Then react to it properly.”   
“Phrase it properly, first.”  
“No.”  
“Then I won’t.” Yoongi huffed.   
“Fine,” Jin huffed.   
“Fine,” He droned back, and Jin stood up to go see if he left his phone in the living room, and maybe cook breakfast. 

 

“Your phone wasn’t on that table last night.” Taehyung pointed out.  
“How do you know?”  
“I came out here really late. I think I saw a dark shadow in the corner though. I waved at it.” Taehyung hummed. “Right over. . .there.”  
“It was late, of course there were dark shadows. Everything in a shadow at night time.” Jin scoffed.   
“Yeah, I was looking for something, I think.”  
“What were you looking for?”  
“I don’t remember.”   
“Helpful. Sure you weren’t dreaming and I just left it out?”  
“Yeah, I’m pretty sure. I never dream about the dorm. Or, I never dream about it looking, like. . . normal.”   
“What do you normally see it as?”  
“One time it was candy. That was nice. Another time it was. . .really terrifying, actually, I think I repressed that memory until now.” Taehyung hummed.   
“I literally cannot tell if you’re joking or not right now.”  
“Yeah.” Taehyung lifted himself up onto the counter, swaying his feet and allowing his heels to hit the cabinet with a loud noise that he didn’t bother to dampen any.   
“So helpful, Tae.” Jin scoffed. “Any idea where Joon might’ve gone?”  
“No idea, hyung. I hope he’s alright though.”   
“Yeah. Me too. Are. . .you okay?”  
“Yeah, I just didn’t get too much sleep last night. I felt like something was watching me even though Namjoon wasn’t home. It was creepy as hell. I hated it.” Taehyung shivered, staring at the tile of the kitchen.   
“Me too.” Jin frowned. “I really hope. . .” He trailed off.  
“What?”  
“That we’re as safe here as Namjoon insists.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lol i got this done at school. Oooooops.


	6. Of Arguments And Sleep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two hours before everyone was getting in the car to leave for the awards show, Namjoon crossed the threshold of a dead silent apartment. Every was quiet, some napping, some working, others gaming, the rest avoiding socialization. They were all incredibly unsettled, and Namjoon could feel the off sense as soon as he hit the deadly silence.
> 
> "Guys?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today has really sucked, guys. I'm having a real tough morning/night. I've been kinda on edge for a few days after some drama with a friend, and then I discovered the one person that'd been consoling me about the fact that I would never get to see BTS live got tickets for the show tonight, which kind of stung. I hung out with my two best friends which really, honestly, truly helped, but I lost my new bluetooth headphones and there's no way on earth dad'll buy me new ones. I've checked every room, surface, crack, everything. I know it sounds like a stupid thing to be breaking down about, but I'm just really. . . being hit with a lot of small things at once. i don't feel like doing anything. Ever. but here I am, writing. Why? I don't know. It's my only way to reach out to people with a bit of anonymity, I guess. I don't need to really reach out for help if i just write my feelings and toss them into the infinite web. It's so expansive, I might as well be shouting into the void with no one to shout back. I should apply all my bullshit philosophy to writing.

Two hours before everyone was getting in the car to leave for the awards show, Namjoon crossed the threshold of a dead silent apartment. Every was quiet, some napping, some working, others gaming, the rest avoiding socialization. They were all incredibly unsettled, and Namjoon could feel the off sense as soon as he hit the deadly silence. 

"Guys?" He called, and a large rustling ensued, a loud thumping as Jin, Jimin, Taehyung, and Jungkook ran from their rooms to the front room. 

"Namjoon!" Jin practically screeched, and flung himself at Namjoon, followed by the maknae line, and soon after Hoseok, Namjoon becoming weighed down by his band members.

". . .Okay, like, I love you guys but I can't breathe." Namjoon grumbled. 

"We were worried you weren't breathing ever again, Joon, maybe you should just let us kinda have this." Yoongi spoke up first. 

"The hell do you mean?" Namjoon asked, peaking around the arms of his band members, who began to detatch from him, to look at Yoongi. 

"I mean you went missing for two fuckin' days, Namjoon."

"Where were you?" Jin demanded. 

"You worried us, hyung." Jimin hit Namjoon's arm. 

"I surely wasn't gone for-"

"You left on Wednesday night, Joon. And today is Friday. Your phone was turned off. None of us could find you, and trust me, we tried." Hoseok cut off Namjoon, folding his arms. "We were terrified, Namjoon, you can't just vanish like that." 

"Not after what happened." Jungkook added, quieter, but loud enough to be heard. 

"No, fuck that, don't do that ever, but ESPECIALLY not after we lost Kook and Tae like that." Hoseok ammended. Jungkook nodded, agreeing. 

"I didn't mean to-"

"What, did you loose track of time? Did you accidentally let literal DAYS slip by? What were you even doing? Do you know how little I slept?"Hoseok continued on his rant until Jin put a hand on his shoulder. 

"Hoseok. Stop giving him a hard time." 

"Why? He gave us a HELL of a time for the past few days, a little scolding really shouldn't be that big of a deal." 

"Because shouting is not helping anything at all." Jin tightened his grip on Hoseok's shoulder to a near-painful degree. "We shouldn't argue about all this. It's a hard time for all of us, and Namjoon can open up about what he did that scared us so much whenever he feels like it. I doubt we'll find that answer by pressuring him."

"Thank you, Jin." Namjoon whispered as he stepped away from the small crowd. He normally seemed so untouchable, but he was now shaking, noticeably. his face was contorted in a way the group had never seen before, leaving each to wonder- was this their leader's version of fear? Something other than shaky hands and clumsiness before a large awards show, something more than a single gulp of air before a tough performance, something truly deeper than any of that. Surface level anxiety was nothing compared to what someone might feel behind their mask- because really, let's face it, we all have one-, and Namjoon's had always been that of the fearless and confident leader, flawless translator, master performer, charismatic member of society with no flaws. It had always been his face. It was hard, even for those closer to him than anyone, to really see past the leader act that he never seemed to retire. 

"That's fine." He dismissed, shaking his head. 

"It's. . .really not fine. I'm not. . . that's not the point. I'm sorry I worried you guys last night. I need to. . . sleep. I need rest for a few hours." Namjoon fled the room, stumbling on seemingly tired feet. Jin watching him go, pondering whether to follow him or not. The only weakness Namjoon had truly shown since- well, Jin could count the amount of times this had happened on one hand. JIn decided, it was wise to let him sleep; after all, he had no idea if he'd slept yesterday. Or many other nights, actually, since Yoongi seemed convinced Namjoon had been sneaking out at night. Jin decided that he'd keep a closer eye on Namjoon. He was concerned, though infinitely glad just to see Namjoon back in the dorm. 

Even if it would be short. 

 

**[The Mask]** _I need every since person we have on high patrol. Every border. I will be out of the territory today. Do not expect me to be back soon._

 

**[#208]** _I'm unavailable today_

**[#007]** _Me as well_

**[#002]** _I can't get away from my cover, sir. Many apologies._

**[The Mask]** _If I get one more text saying someone can't make it, I'm destroying each and every one of your personally, and I really do not have the time for that these days._

_Do I make myself clear?_

  
_Good._   
_If a hint of pink is seen in my territory, I will know_

_And I will not be pleased_

 

"Who're you texting, hyung?" Taehyung asked, launching himself bodily onto Hoseok. 

"Ah, nobody, Taehyungie." Hoseok laughed and his thumb deliberately hit the power button on the device, putting it in his pocket to support Taehyung as best as he could. 

"Nobody is nobody except that one Greek myth dude." Taehyung countered  
"I think he was Roman, actually." Jin argued. 

"No way, definitely Greek."   
"Wasn't he Norse?" Jungkook interjected, earning shouts from the three boys about how entirely wrong he was. 

"His name was Odysseus and he was Greek." Yoongi said looking up from his phone. "Google is a magical thing." 

"Hah! I told you the dude. . .odysse. . . whatever. . . I told you he was Greek!" Taehyung crowed his victory.   
"Wow, he was actually really interesting, guys." Yoongi hummed as he browsed the magical pages of a mythology Wikipedia. 

"I'm pretty sure I learned about him in school but I don't really remember shit  from school." Hoseok sighed. 

"Me too." Jungkook offered. 

"You hardly went to school, Jungkook."  
"True. I won't even lie." Jungkook nodded, picking his battles. 

"Someone should wake up Namjoon-hyung." Taehyung hummed, still attached to Hoseok. Jungkook sent a slight glance at them, a frown crossing his lips, but he looked away. 

"It should be Jin-hyung." Yoongi immediately volunteered the missing oldest, who was currently in his room doing. . .something. They weren't sure. He'd disappeared shortly after Namjoon had gone to take his nap. Yoongi hadn't wanted to, quote, "walk all the way back to his room" so he flopped on one of the couches and remained there. 

"Why?"  
"Because Jin came to his defense earlier. He'll be happier to see Jin than any of us. We all argued, and that's something we need to reconcile, but. . . I think, for now, Jin is the best option here." 

"Ooh, that does make sense." Taehyung nodded, finally supporting his own weight instead of leaning on Hoseok. 

"So. . . Who gets Jin-hyung?"  
". . .Rock paper scissors?"  
  


 

 

"Jiiiiiin-hyung. . . Jiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin-hyuuuung. . ." Called the soft voice of Jungkook, the loser of the game. 

"What, Kook?" Called back the less soft voice of JIn as he wrenched open the door, startling Jungkook. 

"We've gotta go soon, and, uh, we just thought- ha, y-you know-"  
"No, I don't. What did you thought, Kookie?" He snapped. 

"Maybe. . . if you could. . .I mean, if you want, you should wake up Namjoon? He seemed to be on the best terms with you last, and we don't wanna put him in a bad mood before a televised event." Jungkook tried to rush it out as fast as possible. 

"Oh, that's it? Okay."   
"Okay?"  
"Yeah."  
"Okay. Cool." Jungkook nodded and turned, running back into the living room as Jin left to go and wake Namjoon up. 


	7. Sleepyheads

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Naaaamjoon." He drew out Namjoon's name a little and crept towards the heap of blankets on Namjoon's bunk, watching it shift slightly. "Come on, Joon, I know today is tough, but we've gotta get in the car really soon."   
> "Mmmph." Came a vaguely protesting grunt. "Too bright out. Not time to wake up."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for putting up with my depressive bullshit last night, I'm better today! Short chapter, but I ran out of time. Oopsie doopsie.

"Namjoon." Jin's gentle voice echoed through the room, cracking the door open to see sunlight streaming through a gap in the dark curtains, rather surprising to him. How could Namjoon sleep with any kind of light in the room? JIn liked the sun, but it just didn't seem to like him nearly as much. Vicious sunburns, and otherwise always in his eyes. It was rather obnoxious, curse his abnormally sensitive skin.   
"Naaaamjoon." He drew out Namjoon's name a little and crept towards the heap of blankets on Namjoon's bunk, watching it shift slightly. "Come on, Joon, I know today is tough, but we've gotta get in the car really soon."   
"Mmmph." Came a vaguely protesting grunt. "Too bright out. Not time to wake up."   
"I know you're tired." Jin sat on the edge of the bed and put a hand on the pile blankets. "I am too. We gotta go to the show, though."  
"Shit. Really?" He groaned.   
"Really really." Jin smiled.   
"Fuuuuuck. I don't wanna, Jinnie." The pile continued to shift as the idol underneath moved.   
"I know." Jin repeated gently. "But think of the people we'd be letting down if we didn't go."   
"What if you six go and I stay?"  
"Then we loose our voice of reason and our smoothest talker. And our fans would be devastated if you didn't show up with us. Bangtan isn't Bangtan without seven members."  
"Have Yeontan be the seventh member."  
"No, Namjoon, you're important."   
"Ugh. Fine." Namjoon poked his head out from under the covers, leaving the blanket over his nose, only letting Jin see the bridge of his nose, a crown of messy hair and soft brown eyes. Jin smiled at his friend.  
"There's our shining leader." He grinned, pushing Namjoon's hair back from his eyes to see the soft beginnings of a sleepy eye smile. "I'll leave you to get dressed. They have suits for us there, this time, so we don't wrinkle anything on the ride." Jin moved to get up, and Namjoon whined, freeing an arm to keep Jin close.  
"Namjoon." Jin protested softly, a laugh crossing his lips. "Come on."  
"Don't leave yet." He grumbled.   
"You need to change, Namjoon-ah."   
"You never call me that." He pointed out sleepily.   
"Because you never act so much like a younger person." Jin poked Namjoon's forehead, due to his nose being absent.   
"Ahhhh, fine. Leave. But I wanna sit with you, after." Namjoon insisted.   
"Such a needy child." Jin scoffed.   
"Hey," He protested.   
"I never said no. You can let go of my arm now." 

 

 

"Okay, Namjoon is awake." Jin came out of the room nearly beaming. He was inexplicably happy to the rest of members.   
"Glad to hear. . .?" Jungkook looked up from his phone, which he had plugged in even though it was full.   
"Yeah." Jin laughed softly at the ground. "I gonna go. . .yeah." He turned down the hallway to return to his room before the car came to drive them to the show. He'd be in close proximity to the younger boys for long enough in the car, he could get more time to himself before that clusterfuck.   
Namjoon exited the room a few minutes after Jin walked away, adjusting his clothes gently and looking for the older boys.   
"Where's Jin?" He asked gently.   
"Room, probably." Yoongi hummed from his phone, where he was in several wikia pages deep from the Odysseus page.   
"Why?" Taehyung asked.   
"I have something to discuss with him. Why do you need to know?" Namjoon asked, shooting a glance to Taehyung.   
"I don't know." Taehyung shrugged. "Have fun with your session.   
"Discussion?"   
"Makeout session?"   
"Why are you this way?" Namjoon asked, sighing.   
"Because the sexual tension between you and Jin is so thick we need hedge trimmers." Jimin giggled.   
"Oh, can it." Namjoon snapped.   
"But it's true." Hoseok insisted.   
"I'm going to go talk to Seokjin." Namjoon grumbled, turning on his heel.   
"Have fun!"

"Jinnie?" Namjoon asked, knocking on the door.  
"What's up?"  
"Can I come in?"  
"Sure."   
Namjoon cracked open the door and wandered into the room.   
"What's up?" Jin asked, smiling up at Namjoon from the bed. The curtains were drawn, letting Jin have his peace from the sun. Namjoon awkwardly hovered by the door.   
"Not. . . much."   
"Okay, sit down, CALM down, it's just me." Jin laughed, patting the bed. Namjoon walked over and sat, Smiling shyly.   
"I just wanted to talk."  
"About?"  
"I'm sorry about the other day." Namjoon sighed.  
"Oh, the fight? I thought we were over that."   
"Yeah, but. . . "  
"But?"  
"I never apologized." Namjoon frowned. "I wanted to."  
"We shared a moment earlier, Joon, it's fine. I don't want that to do anything about the fight because as far as I'm concerned, it didn't happen." Jin smiled forgivingly.   
"Good." Namjoon smiled and stared at the floor.   
"So you're clingy when you're sleepy."   
"Oh my gosh." Namjoon covered his face and laughed. "Please, let's not."   
"Oh, please, let's." Jin grinned.   
"That was embarrassing-"  
"It was adorable."  
"You're lying to me."  
"I am not."   
Namjoon and Jin went back in forth, Jin teasing the rapper mercilessly until Yoongi walked in.   
"Come on guys, car's-- am I interrupting something?"  
"The hell do you think you're interrupting?" Jin snapped his head up from where it had been, perhaps, suspiciously close to Namjoon's.   
". . . M-"  
"You shut your dirty mouth, this is not happening, stop." Namjoon's facewas red as he stood up and charged out of the room.   
"What?"  
"Nothing, hyung." Yoongi cooed and left, leaving the door open behind him.


	8. The Moment Before Lightening

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Alright, car time." Hobi grinned.   
> "Why are you so happy about this?" JIn frowned.   
> "I like car time, okay?"  
> "I think you're the only one."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OwO Who's dis?!?!?!? Blackpink?!?!?!?

"Alright, car time." Hobi grinned.   
"Why are you so happy about this?" JIn frowned.   
"I like car time, okay?"  
"I think you're the only one." Yoongi added.   
"Fine, but you guys are weird."  
"Majority, Hobi-hyung, you're the weird one." Jungkook pointed out.   
"I don't want to be smooshed." Taehyung pouted.   
"We'll try not to smoosh you, Tae." Jungkook promised.   
"Good, cause I've been feeling like, sick lately. And sore. I better not be getting sick." Taehyung gasped.   
"Did the thought only just barely cross your mind?" Namjoon asked, laughing.   
"Yes!" He pouted. "This sucks! I don't want to get you guys sick."  
"We'll be fine." Yoongi laughed as they began to pile into the car.   
"You sure, hyung?"  
"Yeah, you know I have an immune system of steel." Hoseok bragged.   
"But Namjoon is sick all the time." Taehyung protested.   
"I'm not sick, you six just give me headaches." The leader in question insisted.   
"So we make you sick?"  
"Yeah, if the company didn't dye our hair so often, I'd have gray hairs already!"   
"Are we that stressful?"  
"Yes you are-"  
"Yeah, we are." Jungkook admitted.   
"Exactly." Namjoon pointed at Jungkook. 

 

"Ooh, nice suits." Hoseok purred as he examined the outfit he'd been handed to put on.   
"Yeah," Jungkook agreed from the next changing area over. "Real snazzy."  
"I bet Yoongi looks great in his." Hoseok's grin was audible to Jungkook.   
"Why Yoongi specifically? Why not Tae?"  
"We're all gonna look great, I just know what Yoongi's suit looks like already. I caught a glimpse of it earlier." Hoseok lied.   
"You sure? Cause I'm pretty sure we have the same suits-"   
"Shhhhhhhhhhh. Shh, Jungkook-ah."   
"Hyung?"  
"Yes?"  
". . .Do you have a thing for Yoongi?"  
"Nothing but brotherly love." Hoseok lied again.  
"Mmkay."  
"Do YOU have a thing for Tae?" Hoseok retorted.  
"I. . . don't know."  
"Liar."  
"That makes two of us, Hoseokie-hyung." Jungkook said, softer than the earlied words exchanged.  
The rest of the dressing was silent. 

 

"Whoa, you guys look awesome." Namjoon smiled as he walked out of the dressing room last, surveying the six other men in suits in the room.   
"Yes we do."  
"Thanks, hyung."  
"I know."   
"You look good too, Namjoon-ah." Came the chorus of replies.   
"They still have to do our makeup." Taehyung sighed.   
"Yeah, not that I'm not already pale enough." Jimin sighed, looking at his arms. Sacrificing time outside for time to practice took its toll on him.   
"Same here." Jungkook frowned, poking at his skin.   
"Oh, well." Namjoon shrugged. He was, perhaps, the more tan of the seven due to his constant walks to gain inspiration. His skin was as sensitive as Jin, but Namjoon religiously applied sunscreen.   
It wasn't like he couldn't afford it. 

The makeup artists buzzed around the members in turn as they sat down, fixing their hair as the others joked around and recorded videos on their phones, a camera director lingering in the room to put the footage into a bangtan bomb some months forward. The usual, if not the the faint buzz of excitement due to the possibility of claiming yet another prestigious award. It was a good feeling, to have that potential, that nomination, that change to be around such influential people. Blackpink was preforming this show, BTS would probably go next time provided they kept topping charts in the way they did. 

Hoseok appeared to admire himself in the mirror, striking dramatic poses for the camera to see and to make Taehyung laugh as his hair was meticulously put into place. His eyes, however, remained trained on the recently made-up boy sitting on the couch in the background, scrolling through wikipedia on a binge. Yoongi looked best out of all of them by Hoseok's standards.   
Nothing gay about that, he thought.  
Just a bro admiring the looks of a fellow dude.   
Jungkook made faces at Taehyung in the mirror, laughing as Taehyung fought a grin. Namjoon sat in the corner, checking his phone anxiously and then continuing to recite the acceptance speech under his breath, both the Korean and English version. He'd kept it brief so he'd have time to say both. Jin sat next to the leader, listening to the speech as he sped through it. Jin was convinced he'd be able to recite it too, at this point. The Korean, at least. Maybe abit of the English too. He even recognized some words.   
A miracle.   
"Namjoon." Jin softly shook Namjoon out of the trance he'd dropped into, placing a hand on Namjoon's bouncing knee. "Calm down, Joonie."  
"I can't." He whispered.   
"You can, Namjoon. Breathe a bit. You won't slip up."Jin rubbed Namjoon's back.   
"That's not it. Or, it is. But not really. 'M just anxious in general. I wanna go. . . home." He muttered, tapping his hand on his phone case in absence of bouncing his leg.   
"I know. But we won't have to do much, just smile when the camera's on us and enjoy the awards show, maybe get a nice award, do a little vlive after we get home. It's nothing but normal."   
"This is different. It's more important than that." Namjoon insisted.   
"So? Either we get it or we don't."  
"What if we miss our opportunity and bomb the next album?"  
"Namjoon, we both know that won't happen."  
"I know, but-"  
"Joonie." Jin repeated firmly. "Look at me. Eyes, please." He forced the ;eader to look him in the eyes and set a determined look on his face, willing above all else that his words would take a firmer hold this way.   
"This is not a huge deal. Breathe. We get the award tonight or next year, it'll be fine." He spoke slowly,, lowly, but clearly, Namjoon nodded, willing to let Jin try to use his own tactic against him.   
And strangely enough?  
Namjoon's leg stopped bouncing. 

 

Something felt wrong as soon at they sat down. the chatter of the crowd was normal, the flash of the cameras annoying but not upsetting as he sat in his seat, legs tucked in to make room for his six bandmates he had no desire to have prolonged contact with. He glanced at the cards on the tables near them and spotted blackpink, the name striking a farmiliar cord somewhere in his chest from a year or two back. It had been a while, and he'd changed since then. Many people had. He smiled and offered a friendly greeting as four ladies made their way through to wall of press to sit down inside, talking and laughing with eachother much in a similar way BTS did. He smiled at the familiarity of it all until SHE walked past him, and he tensed.   
He wasn't the only one.   
She sat at the table, inhuman poise in tact as she smiled, seemingly easy going to those who weren't looking closely. But he was looking. Oh lord, was he looking.   
The ladies were used to men checking them out, it was nothing new, but three pairs of eyes burned holes into her as she sat. She'd felt it at she'd walked past him. He was here. He was an idol.   
She was certain, entirely, that her enemy was here tonight. He was an idol, now with no minions to block her teeth from his throat.   
However, the cameras circled already.   
She couldn't do it now. No. But she offered a smile that wasn't genuine at the seven boys, waving as her friend immediately began to mess around with the boys, joking and playing as if they;d been life long friends.   
It would've been a comforting sight for anyone if the atmosphere didn't feel like lighting was just about to strike in the building as intense, brown eyes bored into each of the bangtan members. She knew he was here, but where?  
Who, was the more pressing question.   
She'd figure it out soon.


	9. Bleh Bleh-Bleh

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I know. And we're not even performing."   
> "I have a huge part in our performance. You can take my place if you'd like."   
> "Hyung, can I?" J  
> "Hmm?"   
> "Can I take Lisa's place in their performance?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which Taehyung and Jungkook take nothing seriously, and Jin is *this* close to wearing a necklace of garlic because of him.

“Jisoo! Hi!” Taehyung grinned, hanging over the back of his chair to greet the woman sitting at the table near his own. He recognized her. It had been a while, but he'd worked with her. It would be harder to forget. Lisa was easier for him to remember, the youngest girl having left an impression. Jisoo smiled back, waving.   
"How are you, Taehyung?" She asked, leaning over the table to get a bit closer. It was growing loud in the building. Soon, it would be hard to hear each other and they'd have to move closer together, more celebrities pouring into the building.   
"I'm good, you?" Taehyung lied easily about how boring his life had been the months, complaining about dance practice and recording taking up time, making fun of their other members, it was an easy conversation to fall into. Jisoo was some called away by another idol, giving Taehyung an apologetic smile. Lisa turned in her chair, twisting to talk with him in place of Jisoo.   
"It's so boring before shows." Lisa complained, pouting.   
"I know. And we're not even performing." Jungkook sighed.   
"I have a huge part in our performance. You can take my place if you'd like." Lisa offered jokingly.   
"Hyung, can I?" Jungkook asked, knocking Hoseok on the shoulder.   
"Hmm?" Hoseok snapped out of the trance he'd seemingly been in to pay attention to the younger boy.  
"Can I take Lisa's place in their performance?" He asked, giggling before he could finish the sentence.   
"Do you know the part?"  
"Yeah, of course I do," Jungkook laughed, and Lisa laughed along.  
"No." Hoseok firmly said, eyes smiling with the joke.   
"Awwwww, no fun." Jungkook pouted and turned to Lisa. "Hyung said nooooo. . ." He whined.   
"Oh nooooo," She cooed. "Poor Jungkookie. Ah, well, I suppose I'll just destroy the stage more than normal tonight. It can't helped."   
"A shame." Taehyung chipped in.   
"I know, right?"   
"I think you seven should be preforming." Jisoo sighed. "You guys are awesome."   
"You guys are just as awesome." Objected Hoseok.   
"Yeah, you guys are so talented." Namjoon chipped in, meeting eyes with Jisoo. Both Hoseok and Taehyung studied her, considering her carefully before looking away in a near unison intake of breath.   
"But you guys-"  
"Don't argue, come on, you guys are phenomenal. I can't wait to see what you have waiting." Namjoon smiled tightly.   
"Yeah, I'm sure it's going to be breathtaking." Taehyung grinned as Jin and Jimin acted cute for the cameras already that had barely begun rolling. They never missed the opportunity to mess around, thought Namjoon fondly. 

Taehyung was tense at the feeling in the air, the taste like something horrible was about to rain down on the venue, even if everyone seemed relaxed. Or, as relaxed as some of them could get in front of a camera. There were some people that changed entirely in front of a camera. Sometimes it was simple and reflexive, a normal response, but Taehyung had learned to be careful of somebody whose personality flipped on a dime in front of a camera. It was unsettling either way, but while Taehyung got stranger, his 4D personality coming out to play, another idol might turn bubbly from angry, and that was an indicator that they might be lying about more than that one thing.   
It intimidated him.   
But, thankfully, none of his bandmates seemed to shift so drastically in front of the camera. No, they used the masks they always wore, the ones that broke behind locked and double-locked doors. And sometimes, even they'd forget they were wearing a mask, until everyone accepts it as their normal face. Taehyung like to think that he wasn't wearing a mask, but he could never be sure. He gently ran his fingers along his jawline, almost unconsciously as he checked for the lip of a mask he knew didn't exist here.   
Still, sometimes one can forget.   
"The hell was that?" Jungkook asked, laughing.   
"I'm checking for masks, what else?" Taehyung told the truth, smiling at his friend. He laughed back, not understanding the weight behind that sentence.   
"You mean. . .THE mask?" He asked, wiggling his fingers.   
"Don't speak of him, he might hear." Taehyung giggled.   
"That's no joke!" Jin shuddered.   
"You're just paranoid, Jin-hyung." Jimin rolls his eyes. "It's a fairytale."  
"I'm not ruling anything out, and the prospect of the mask is horrifying." Jin spits.   
"I mean, it kinda is." Hoseok agreed.   
"I don't think it sounds that scary." Yoongi agrued. "Besides, it's probably blown out of proportion. Some kind probably saw a dude wearing a velvet mask and messing around and turned it into a scary story about vampire gang violence. Who fuckin buys that?"   
"Me," Jin frowned.   
"You shouldn't, it's a foolish thing to worry about." Yoongi snorted.   
"I haven't even heard the full story." Taehyung frowned. "I just know he has a cult following at the point."  
"That is not funny, Tae." JIn frowns.   
"Are you guys seriously arguing over an urban legend?" Namjoon asked, breaking away from his conversation.   
". . .maybe."  
"The mask is the farthest out of the realm of logic of all the urban legends I've heard, and trust me, I've heard multiple." Namjoon sat back down, joining the discussion.   
"I don't know, I think the mask might be real. Just less. . .the way the legend goes." Hoseok shrugs. "Maybe he's misunderstood."  
"Or maybe he's a cannibalistic, psychopathic killer in Seoul still at large." JIn offered.   
"Or maybe he's a real vampire just trying to get by." Yoongi interjected with his opinion.  
"Must be a real struggle. Oh no, I'm super strong and have the power to hypnotize people and my only downfall is a food allergy and a severe case of sensitive skin! Guess I'll just wear a creepy mask!" Jungkook put on an exaggerated Dracula voice, putting his fingers to his mouth to indicate fangs, causing Taehyung and Hoseok to burst out into laughter, Jimin giggling and hiding it behind his face.   
"Not funny!" Jin yelped.   
"It was pretty funny." Yoongi admitted, glancing up to Jin.   
"Not really!"


	10. Lightning Rarely Strikes Twice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Taehyung tensed, getting the feeling that lightning was about to strike. 
> 
> It did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'all I'm afraid my conspiracy has been revealed. I recently got some feedback stating the reader's theory that Yeontan is The Mask.   
> This is true.   
> I apologies for not writing better and hiding the twist as best as I could. I promise I will not let you readers down next time.

"Hit you with that ddu-ddu-du~" Blackpink's performance nearly over, halfway through an awards show that had left JImin with a bad taste in his mouth. Like Taehyung, he could feel the lingering feeling of imminent disaster. He broke his eyes away from the flashing stage to see his bandmates all still enthralled by the so far breathtaking performance. Jin's mouth was parted slightly as he watched the girls pull off the more impressive moves. He saw Jungkook staring at their feet- how the hell did they do that in heels, he was wondering- and Taehyung following on with the hand movements and blushing when he noticed the camera trained on him insistently. Jimin giggled as Jungkook encouraged Taehyung by dancing in his chair. Taehyung, emboldened, started back up.  Jimin giggled at them, turning his gaze to to the remaining three boys.   
Whose mouths were each pressed into three straight lines as they stared at the performance, none looking particularly thrilled. 

Jimin maybe expected this from Yoongi- Yoongi wasn't always smiling, after all- but Hoseok was a many on constant smiles, and normally Namjoon would smiling at least to be polite. Jimin frowned at them as the song played out the light turning off as the girls turned and exited the stage. The light stayed off for only a moment before everything for the actual awards was set back up, and then the lights returned.   
  
Jimin prepared himself for the boredom of hearing all the awards they didn't qualify being called out. He clapped and smiled, of course, but it was still boring to sit through people getting variations of the same award and being congratulated. 

He was nearly asleep before he heard the slow buildup of the next awards. Something about a music video, or something. They had only just dropped a new music video, so he perked his head up and actually look at the woman doing the announcing. 

"-BTS!" She called out, smiling perhaps a little too widely. Namjoon stood up, the chair he'd been sitting in quite nearly falling over in his haste. Jin grinned at him, knocking Namjoon's arm with the back of his hand to give him a meaningful glance. He'd been right, after all. Hoseok jumped right after Namjoon, springing from his chair and jumping up and down. Jimin stood, his face painted with a disbelieving smile Yoongi stood up, a gummy smile pushing his face into amazement. Jungkook was stunned and Taehyung's face grew into the trademark boxy smile as he realized- BTS. That was them. Namjoon lead the way onto the stage as applause rang out, each boy grinning as they climbing up, Jimin nearly stumbling and falling on Taehyung in front of him. 

This would later find its way into every "Save Jimin/ Wrap Him in Bubble Wrap" video henceforth, considering the multiple cameras that caught this blunder. 

Namjoon let Taehyung hold the award, who passed it off to Yoongi as Namjoon began his speech. 

 

The lights went out, a couple of screams heard as the sudden loss of power surprised the easily frightened. There was no rain to speak of, nor a storm due to happen. Taehyung tensed, getting the feeling that lightning was about to strike. 

It did. 

 

 

 

 

When the lights came back on, a woman in a simple china mask appeared in front of them. Her clothes were long and regal and black, menacing but beautiful, and her aura exuded dangerous authority and and one want to fall to their knees. Taehyung very nearly did. Namjoon stepped back. Yoongi dropped the award. Somebody screamed, and the lights went black again. 

This time, everybody scattered, running in different directions at the aura of danger this woman gave off. Jin hid under a table, met by Hoseok and Taehyung soon after. Yoongi, Namjoon, Jimin, and Jungkook, Taehyung lost track of. He could hardly see, but he could hear clambering to leave the building. Taehyung's legs failed him as he hid. He wanted desperately to run from the building, to get in a car and leave forever, but he couldn't move, his legs immobilized in fear. Jin was crying- he was pretty sure Jin was the one he'd heard scream at some point-, tears streaming silently down his face in terror as he rotated his neck in a desperate attempt to find his other fellow members but he couldn't, and Hoseok had his head hidden as if he expected shrapnel. Taehyung thought he spotted the shape of Namjoon or maybe Jungkook across the room, the lights from the sound both casting a fuzzy blue glow. The computer had crashed, the error screens popping up, all something new.

 

When the lights came back on, a man stood in front of the woman, wearing a largely detailed demon mask. He radiated the same enchanting and terrifying power as the woman, and even though Taehyung was shivering, the woman didn't seem scared and only angrier. 

"Care to explain?" He hissed. Almost literally. Taehyung could only categorize it as a hiss.

"Just though I might drop by. Is that an issue?" She purred.   
"In the middle of a show, you crazy- I ought to duel you right here." The man said, stepping menacingly towards the woman. 

If Taehyung's legs were weak before, he wasn't sure he'd ever walk again at this rate. The fear struck into him by these two people- it was like watching two hurricanes threaten each other. 

"Ah-ah-ah! Don't." She purred. "You know you can't do that here."   
"I will, and I won't give you a half a fucking chance to play anymore of your foolish games." He spat, obviously furious. 

"The cameras are rolling. Don't want anybody know what happened here, no?"   
"Amateur, did you not disable them before interrupting this lovely affair?"  
"No, I needed to draw you out so we could talk." She closed the space between them so that they were menacingly close. "I know you're one of the men that attended this event now. And since you seem so keen on taking my territory, I need to take you out. I will find you. You know that."   
"You can certainly try, dear, but I am invisible and invincible. So good luck with your stalking." He looked down on her by an inch. 

"I will succeed someday. I could slit your throat on this stage and the world could watch, you know." She almost whispered, but it wasn't quiet. 

"I'm well aware. I was considering doing the same exact thing." The man purred back. "As much as I would adore your obnoxious, foul, troublesome head on a steel platter, televised events are not the times for such theatrics." Taehyung was the only one watching as the eerily still people- were they even people?- stared at each other for several moments until they looked away in unison. 

"Still so strong headed," the woman mused. 

"Still so painfully naive," the man sighed. 

 

"I'll warn you once and once more only: Keep your men and your kills off of my god damned territory, or so help me, I will take over the entire city and trample over your pathetic coven to get there." He added, still not looking her in the eyes of her mask.   
  


"Whoever said it was your territory?"   
"Me, you made-in-China half breed. I have fought for this land for years, and years, and years, and I will not let you, an upstart copycat disgrace, wrench it from my grasp until I lay dead for the last time!" He snarled. She didn't step back. 

"Maybe it's time you did, old man. I think you mind is dulling with age." She fumed back. 

Taehyung whimpered, the only audible sound he'd been able to make since the woman had appeared. The china mask of the woman snapped in his direction, and he paled. 

He hadn't meant to.

"Oh, he smells wonderful," She purred. 

"You are not eating from a celebrity, you foolish child. Not on television. Not a popular one." he snapped. 

"Fine. I will find my prey, and rest assured," the china-mask-clad woman walked away, "they will be from your territory." 

The light turned black again as Taehyung fainted, his consciousness fleeing finally as if it had been tethered to the waking realm by the terrifying woman in the mask. 

He was beginning to think that maybe it had been. 


	11. Nightmares

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Taehyung opened his eyes. Or- at least, he thought he did, he was met with a darkness deeper than he’d every face in his life. He struggled to think, but his head felt filled entirely with cotton, or wool. Like his skull was made of lead. He felt like he was a kid again, home with a particularly bad headache.   
> Except home wasn’t black like this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lkfhslkdfjasdfl;kfhals typing this is so hard guys I have a headcold and I stabbed my right hand with a pencil accidentally the other day and I'm ouch but HERE I AM, PROVIDING THAT SUB PAR VAMPIRE CONTENT

Taehyung opened his eyes. Or- at least, he thought he did, he was met with a darkness deeper than he’d every face in his life. He struggled to think, but his head felt filled entirely with cotton, or wool. Like his skull was made of lead. He felt like he was a kid again, home with a particularly bad headache. Except home wasn’t black like this. He moved his hand to wave it before his eyes, and found himself belabored with an invisible force. He struggled to move his arms, legs, neck, anything. He opened his mouth, gasping for breath that he was unaware he’d been holding. He looked around as best he could, provided he’d even opened his eyes to begin with. He was still unsure. 

Nothing met him but darkness, deep as anything that could possibly be, maybe deeper. Taehyung struggled more, tensing and contracting his muscles to try and break the bonds he couldn’t see, but he knew, learned in a fast moment, that it was a futile attempt. He might hurt himself if he tried. He could his eyes- unless they were closed to begin with- and tried to breathe, work the problem through in his head and fight the panic hosted in his stomach that was slowly rising, the cold grip of dread holding him. He discovered he didn’t know anything, nearly. His name was Taehyung- he knew that much. He was- God, how old was he? Irrelevant, he dismissed, it didn’t matter how old he was. He was a singer. He had family. His band- his band was his family. He refused to drop that, though he felt like he was rapidly forgetting their faces. He clung to details- noses, the sounds of laughs, dancing, jaws, the way they all smiled, to good days they spent together and the bad, the happiness and the anxiety, days where they all let their guards down and allowed themselves to be vulnerable for a moment, days where Jimin soothed his panic attacks, days where he helped Yoongi through his agoraphobia, days he saw Jin calming Namjoon’s doubts. Maybe it wasn’t happy, but it was important. He refused to forget them, his refused to forget them, he refused to-

Was that light? Taehyung opened his eyes- really opened his eyes!- to see what the sense of missing something was. He gasped as he saw a series of pulsing, bioluminescent creatures glided past in this void, He tried to reach out an touch them, tried to call out but as he opened his mouth to yell he felt water rush into his lungs. He tried, desperately, perhaps, to bring the air back that he’d released, but it was futile like trying to move. He couldn’t move as the water filled his lungs and dragged him down, and down, and down, until Taehyung didn’t think anymore. 

 

“Taehyung. Taehyung, wake up. It’s just a nightmare, Tae.” Jungkook patted Taehyung face, attempting to wake his friend from the night terror that had him whimpering until he finally went still. Taehyung cracked his eyes open.   
“What?” He looked so confused.   
If Jungkook hadn’t worried for him so much, he might’ve laughed.   
“You were having a nightmare.”  
“Was I?” He asked, furrowing his eyebrows and slowly sitting up. He tried to gain his bearings, reintroducing himself to the world. He remembered the darkness, but more importantly he remembered himself now. The world in which he lived, and not that terrifying void of a supposed ocean that he’d drowned in.   
“Yeah, dude, you were making a lot of noise. Are you okay?” He asked his friend, who was now surveying the room he was in.   
Jungkook’s room?  
“Yeah, I just. . . what happened?”  
“Power generator at the show fucked up. Everyone wound up just going home and you fell asleep. I was really tired too, so I carried you in here. I didn’t think to put you in your room and we kinda slept in our makeup, but-”  
“I could have sworn something else happened.” Taehyung frowned, trying to summon the images from the night before. Flashs of a china mask came to mind, but he didn’t doubt that was the nightmare talking. He didn’t remember much of whatever the terrible night terror had been, so it probably had something to do with that. He remember a bone chilling female voice and shuddered.   
He decided he’d never think about his night terrors.   
“Not really. I mean, we won an award, but they didn’t get to record the whole thing. Apparently a shit ton of their storage corrupted out of the blue.” Jungkook flopped down onto his bed next to Taehyung. He’d gotten up early and decided to let Taehyung sleep.   
“Weird. I didn’t even know that was a thing these days.” Taehyung hummed, scratching his head and tousling up his hair more than it was from sleep.   
“Yeah, and on all the cameras. I think maybe their stream might’ve had a big problem, maybe someone hacked into it. Otherwise, I’m not sure exactly how every camera got corrupted.”  
“Not our problem.” Taehyung smiled. Jungkook looked away, smiling just the same.   
“Do you have them often?” JUngkook changed the subject.   
“Do I have what often?” Taehyung asked, tilting his head sleepily.   
“The nightmares. Are those a regular thing?”  
“Hmm. Not usually. I don’t remember them.” Taehyung considered this a blessing, due to his terror upon waking up. They seemed to be pretty bad, if that was any indication.   
“You sure?”   
“Yeah?”  
“Really really sure?”  
“Yes, Jungkook, Christ!” Taehyung pushed his shoulder, and Jungkook laughed. Taehyung smiled at the laughing boy and pulled his legs a bit closer to his chest.   
“Good. Or I might have to buy you a dream catcher. Or I could be your dream catcher.” He winked, and Taehyung shoved him again. Jungkook fell over onto the bed.   
“I feel rejected.”   
“Good.” Taehyung spat jokingly. Jungkook put his hands over his wounded heart, and Taehyung laughed.   
“You wound me.”   
“Stop trying to guilt trip me, it won’t work!”   
“But if I try hard enough, I will prevail.”   
“That not how this works,” Taehyung laughed.   
“I WILL DO IT!” Exclaimed the maknae.   
“Try me.” Taehyung sat up all the way, folding his arms. Jungkook turned his head and pouted at Taehyung, bottom lips pushing outwards as his doe eyes bored into Taehyung’s very soul.  
“Yah, pouting is off limits!” Taehyung grabbed a pillow (there were only two on the bed: one he’d had head head on and the other he’d been hugging. Had Jungkook slept somewhere else?) and shoved it at Jungkook’s face. “Not fair!”  
“Its plenty fair, hyung,” Jungkook laughed, shielding his face with his hands.   
“No it’s not. Prevail a different way.”   
“But I want to prevail by pouting!”  
“If I lift up this pillow and you’re pouting-”  
“What’ll you do?”  
“. . .Harmful actions.”   
“Harmful actions?”  
“Yeah. Harmful actions to your face.” Taehyung grumbled.   
“I feel so frightened, hyung.” Jungkook giggled and Taehyung hugged to pillow to his chest.   
“Shut up, Jungkook. Shut up.”   
“Fine.” Jungkook closed his mouth and silence prevailed in the room for a moment.   
“I didn’t say stop talking!”   
“That’s exactly what you said!”  
“No I didn’t!”  
“You said shut up!”  
“Yeah, I didn’t tell you to stop talking i just told you to shut up!”  
“It’s the same thing!”  
“No it’s not!”  
“It’s too early to shout.” JImin walked in, pouting.   
“It’s not that early.” Taehyung and Jungkook turned in unison.   
“I’m leaving, you guys are creepy.” Jimin turned around. “Jin-hyung is making breakfast,” he called over his shoulder.   
“Fine!” Jungkook shouted back.   
“How rude of him.” Taehyung humed.  
“I know, right?”


	12. Take A Look At Yourself, Hyung

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You’re in a good mood this morning.”   
> “Yeah, maybe. I think Jungkook and Taehyung finally slept together.”   
> Taehyung spit out his drink.   
> “Fucking WHAT?”   
> “What? Am I wrong?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay y'all I am SO SORRY I didn't update last night. I'm busy this weekend with a few things (Drove three hours to my uncle's place, spent the night in the same room as them for all night and then slept on the couch so I couldn't type, I went to King Richard's Renaissance Faire today which was dope as fuck and gave me a brand new High Fantasy au for a ship (more on that later), will be hanging with my extended fam and then driving three hours back to VT) but I will HOPEFULLY have an update tomorrow night considering I will be home and sleeping in my own room.

“Where’s Namjoon?” Taehyung asked, tucking himself into the kitchen.   
“Off handling things with the managers again, they’re all bugged out because the power crashed last night.” JIn responded. “That’s what he said, at least.”  
“Are we not trusting him now?”  
“I don’t trust anything after last night.” Jin scoffed.  
“Why? All that happened was the power went out.” Taehyung frowned over his shoulder as he grabbed a cup and poured himself a glass of water.   
“No, something happened. I just don’t remember.”  
“Jin-hyung, you’re really paranoid as of late.”   
“Maybe I just don’t like feeling like i’m always being watched. And then Namjoon went missing, and the power went out during OUR award. I’m starting to feel like some paranoia is warranted.” Jin stabbed his spatula into the pile of food in the pan, obviously distracted.   
“Jin-” Taehyung began, only to be cut off.   
“If I hear one more time that it’s a coincidence, I’m going to actually lose my-”  
“Hey guys!” Hoseok bounced into the room. “Whatcha taaaalkin’ about?”  
“You’re in a good mood this morning.”   
“Yeah, maybe.” Hoseok grinned. “I think Jungkook and Taehyung finally slept together.”   
Taehyung spit out his drink.   
“Fucking WHAT?” He yelled. Jin doubled over, laughing.   
“What? Am I wrong?”  
“YES! VERY! VERY WRONG!”   
“Damn, that sucks. The sexual tension is palpable at this point. Just bone already.” Hoseok insisted, and Jin fell over.  
“What makes you think that?!”   
“The sheer amount of taekook videos on the internet-”  
“People ship kpop stars all the time!”  
“Oh COME ON, you two make heart eyes at each other constantly.”   
“What about you and Yoongi?” Taehyung fired back, his face bright red.   
“Oh no, don’t turn this on me-”  
“Wait, what ABOUT you and Yoongi?” Jin asked, sitting up from the floor where he’d been dying. He wiped away an invisible tear.   
“Nothi-”  
“He stares at Yoongi all the time, have you not noticed?” Taehyung asked, grinning as his revenge came.  
“Who stares at me all the time?” Yoongi said, as if summoned by name.  
“Oh, nobody,” Taehyung smiled innocently, leaning back on the counter.   
“Absolutely no one.” Jin laughed, getting up and rinsing off his spatula to continue cooking.   
“I hate both of you.” Hoseok glared.   
“Why? What did they do?” Yoongi asked, genuinely confused.   
“Nothing.” All three said, two with humor and one with gritted teeth.  
“Weirdos. Hey, is food ready yet?” Yoongi turned his head, changing the subject on a dime.   
“Almost, I got distracted by idiots one and two out of six.” Jin shot an accusatory glare at the other two boys in the kitchen.   
“I know when I’m asked to leave,” Hoseok sniffed, “Come, idiot two, we must plot against this injustice.”  
“Hey, hey, hey, who said you were idiot one? Maybe I’m idiot one.” Taehyung argued.   
“You’re both stupid. Leave.”  
“Yes, hyung.” They both dejectedly left the room, heads down as they brushed past Yoongi. After they were gone, Jin beckoned him in.   
“You’re fine, you know how to cook and won’t fuck with anything.”  
“Joy.” Yoongi deadpanned and wandered inside, slowly making his way to the corner. “So, what were you guys talking about?”  
“Taehyung and Jungkook’s very obvious crush on each other.” Jin continued cooking.   
“Didn’t they finally sleep together last night?” Yoongi asked, tilting his head as JIn burst out into laughter again.   
“No, apparently Jungkook slept on the floor or something. He wasn’t there when Tae woke up. He had to go back in and wake him up cause it was late.”  
“It’s. . . early, though. Like, not just by my standards. By normal ass human standards. Late by mine. I should be asleep by now,” Yoongi hummed.   
“YOU DIDN’T SLEEP?” Jin screeched.   
“Mmm, no. Might sleep in the lab later,” Yoongi scratched his head.   
“You know you can’t skip sleep like that!” Jin turned, turning off the stove and moving his pans off the hot burners to pot holders. Yoongi closed his eyes, understanding now what he’d gotten himself into.   
“I don’t normally-”  
“Yoongi, I know you already don’t sleep, but yesterday was fucking crazy. I had a headache, and I never get headaches from stress like that. You must be exhausted. Why?” Jin demanded, trying to pry the reason for his foolish actions from Yoongi.  
“I don’t like to sleep while the moon is out. Sue me. It’s inspiring.”  
“You know what’s real inspiring? Keeping on top of your health and not running yourself ragged like this!”   
“Who said I was running myself ragged?”  
“You look like a skeleton, Yoongi, that’s not healthy, if you hadn’t noticed. Your ribs show and the bags under your eyes are the size of Europe!” JIn had Yoongi pressed against the wall to avoid Jin getting in his personal bubble.   
“Call me when they get as big as Russia.” Yoongi dismissed, trying to walk away. Jin blocked his way with an arm.   
“Seriously? Jokes? This is serious, Yoongi. You need to fix your sleep schedule.”  
“I’m awake for all the important things, get off my case.” Yoomgi snarled up at him.   
“That’s not the only important thing! It’s important to me that you are healthy and happy.”  
“I am fine, Jin-hyung.” Yoongi stated, curtly, and pushed his way out of Jin’s trap. “Try worrying about yourself, for a change.” He glanced Jin up and down, once, and then turned and left back to his room.   
“Jin-hyung?” Jimin’s voice echoed through the kitchen but a moment later, trembling, and Jin sighed.   
“Yes, Jimin-ssi?” He replied, and looked over to face the younger boy, immediately wishing he hadn’t.  
He felt sick at the sight of red trailing down from Jimin’s nose.   
“I-I think I’m bleeding. . .”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so my High Fantasy AU idea is as follows:   
> A mysterious hooded figure, cloaked in red with a bandanna tugged over his face, stalks the protagonist of a story that he'd only be in a little, determined to save this so called Chosen One from the danger he knows lurks close by. The hooded figure would be whisked away from the plotline to another later, but for now, he'd ensure this one played through. Slipping down an alley, he didn't expect to run into another young man in a masquerade mask, daggers by his sides as he'd also been stalking the same quarry.   
> The thief planned to kill, the hooded man to save, but now they were stuck together in this alley in peril of being discovered by the protagonist of a story that hardly really concerned them. 
> 
> I need to know who you want to be the thief and who should be Mystery Cloak Man That Corrects Story Plotlines. It'll be a ship fic, but I want suggestions on which ship to do. I'll honestly do anyone in BTS, they're kind of my OT7 in general. I won't post this soon (Haha I already have 4 stories running I don't need to update another;;) but I wanna get a jump on writing it.


	13. Just a Little Blood. . .

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Yeah, a whole ass mess occurred between taekook and yoongseok -”  
> “Hold up, hold up, hold up, did you just give them ship names?”   
> “Yeah, I don’t feel like saying their dumbass names.”   
> “A-Alright. Proceed.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oof, short chapter. Sorry.

“Oh my god are you okay??” Jin nearly screeched, scurrying over.   
“I-I don't know- hyung you know i hate blood, I-” Jimin whimpered.   
“I know, tilt your head up.” Jin instructed, scurrying to the paper towel holder as Jimin looked up to the ceiling.   
“I don't know what happened, I was just sitting down a-and-”  
“I don't need to know!” Jin yelped and shoved a bunched-up handful of paper towels under Jimin’s nose. “Hold these.” He ordered Jimin, who obeyed with a whimper. Jin examined the spot.   
“That’s really red,” Jin mumbled to the younger, “Are you sure it was just spontaneous?”  
“Y-Yes,” Jimin answered, almost unconvincingly.   
“Jimin.”   
“I fell.” Jimin admitted, avoiding looking at Jin.   
“Head up. You’re gonna lie down until it stops.” Jin sighed. He should have known. His first though was that maybe Jimin had gotten punched, or something was wrong, but Jimin was horribly clumsy off stage.   
His story about tripping wasn’t too wild.   
“Fine.” He pouted and wandered back to his room, arm out in front of him to act as somewhat of a bumper. Jin turned and began working on the food again. Once everything was set, he’d bring Jimin in a plate and more paper towels.  
But, unfortunately, fate was not in favor of breakfast this morning. 

“Jinnie-” Namjoon called, opening the door before cutting himself off. “What smells good?”   
“Breakfast, if any of you fuckers will let me finish it.” Jin snapped.   
“Tough morning?” Namjoon asked, laughing as he glanced in the direction of the hallway Jimin had just disappeared down.  
“Yeah, a whole ass mess occurred between taekook and yoongseok -”  
“Hold up, hold up, hold up, did you just give them ship names?”   
“Yeah, I don’t feel like saying their dumbass names.”   
“A-Alright. Proceed.” Namjoon laughed, putting his hands up in mock surrender.   
“Hoseok thought Taehyung and Jungkook slept together last night so he brought it up to Tae and Tae got angry and flipped it around on him about how much he stares at Yoongi and then Yoongi showed up. . .”  
“Wait, so. . . they didn’t sleep together?”  
“No.”  
“Fuck, I owe Jimin five thousand won.” Namjoon scowled.   
“He’s lying down right now, you can give him his won later.”   
“Why?”  
“Dumbass fell over and smashed his nose on something, it’s currently bleeding and if you will grant me the peace of five whole minutes to finish making breakfast, I was going to bring some to him along with some more paper towels.”   
“Oh. Fun.” Namjoon nodded. “Call me in when breakfast’s done.”

 

 

“Ewww, Jiminie is BLEEDING?” Hoseok squeaked.   
“That’s gross.” Yoongi agreed.  
“Guys, it’s just blood.” Namjoon rolled his eyes.   
“Just blood, he says.” Hoseok sniffed.   
“Why do we care that much? All he did was trip?” Jungkook tilted his head.  
“Indelicately phrased, but he has a point.” Namjoon nodded.  
“BEcause blood is absolutely gross and it probably hurt, Kook.” Hoseok spat back.   
“But like. . . it’s just blood.” Taehyung repeated Namjoon’s earlier statement. “Not even that much of it. I mean, a lot of blood is really gross, but a little bit is just kinda. . .eh.”  
Hoseok glanced at Taehyung. “You’ll understand someday.”   
“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”  
“Language.” Namjoon droned.   
“When you’re older.”   
“Can we not talk about blood and maybe talk about something else? Like how your tongue never really rests in your mouth, it just kinda presses against the roof of your mouth? So your tongue is like. . .always at work?” Jungkook shifted the topic, instigating a discussion and argument about the topic as Jimin listened from the other room and Jin finally finished breakfast. As he set aside two plates (One for himself, one for Jimin,) he called in the other five.   
“Don’t touch this plate, it’s mine. Otherwise, go nuts.” He dismissed them and walked into Jimin’s room, armed with a plate of food and paper towels.   
“Think it’s stopped yet?”   
“No. . . I-I think it’s getting worse.” Jimin whimpered, removing the paper towel from his face. Jin delicately took it between two fingers and handed Jimin the whole roll, placing the food on the bedside table.   
“It probably just feels like it. It’ll go away soon.” Jin dismissed. “I don’t get a lot of bloody noses, though. I’ll Google it later.  
“Thank you, hyung.”   
“It’s not a problem, Jiminie.” Jin smiled down at the younger boy, who gave a faint smile back.   
“. . .Have you always been this pale?”


	14. Bleed, Bruise, Burn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “He might’ve gotten punched,”   
> “Who’d punch Jimin? . . . .Jungkook put your hand down.”

“How’s breakfast, you guys?” Jin asked, smiling as he emerged into yet another debate between the other boys. He left Jimin to rest with his food, and Taehyung smiled.   
“Great as always hyung.” He talked with house mouth full, and someone snapped at him to close his mouth, making him giggle.   
“Good. Jimin will be out soonish, but he’s resting some more. It hasn’t stopped yet.”  
“I mean, it’s only been a few minutes.” Yoongi rose an eyebrow. “Takes a bit longer than that for a bloody nose to stop bleeding. He should be okay in a few minutes. Then he might want some ice for his face. If he fell like he said-”  
“Why would he lie about that?”  
“He might’ve gotten punched,” Yoongi suggested as his it was obvious.  
“Who’d punch Jimin? . . . .Jungkook put your hand down.”  
“Aww.”  
“I don’t know.” Yoongi huffed. “Let me continue.”   
“Fine.”   
“It’ll bruise if he doesn’t put ice on it. I think. I should google that. I read it somewhere.” Yoongi frowned.   
“Why did you read-”  
“Not important.”  
“He’s from the rough and tough streets of Daegu. They teach you that early in Daegu school.” Taehyung joked  
“I just like wikipedia.” Yoongi snapped.   
“I mean, who doesn’t? It’s a wealth of information. So great for reading about mythology, or current world affairs, or TV shows you might be interested, or how to win a fist fight-” Jungkook began.  
“And care for yourself if you lose,” Taehyung added  
“Yeah, that.” Jungkook nodded.   
“Whatever. Just bone already.” Yoongi glowered at the two.  
“Not before you and Hoseok-”  
“ShUT uP AboUT ThaT ALreADY!” Hoseok screeched, and Taehyung fell over laughed. Yoongi and Jungkook’s faces were red, Hoseok’s nearly purple. Namjoon laughed, only really chuckling at their antics.   
“Why not. . . both?” Jin asked.   
“Shut up hyung.” Yoongi scowled.  
“We all see the way you look at Namjoon-hyung!” Jungkook yelled.  
“Inside voice, Jungkook. Also, kindly shut your mouth.” Namjoon sipped at his water.   
“No, you look at him too.” Taehyung huffed.  
“It’s hard not to. I’m a whole snacc.”   
“Yeah, sure, hyung.” Hoseok snorted. “Bet you’re not even that tasty.”  
“HEY!” Jin yelled, offended. “I’M TASTY AS FUCK!”  
“I bet Namjoon-hyung knows.” Jungkook muttered.   
“I heard that,” Namjoon snapped, and Hoseok giggled.   
“This is a delightful clusterfuck.”   
“You guys are so noisy.” Jimin whined, wandering into the room.  
“Sorry Chim.” Namjoon apologised.   
“Ew, are you still bleeding?” Hoseok asked, schooching away from the table exaggeratedly.   
“No, I think it stopped.” Jimin said. “But I shoved a tissue in there anyways because. . . ew.”  
“Nosebleeds aren’t fun.” Jungkook agreed.   
“What, you’ve gotten them?”  
“Yeah, when I was really little I’d been lying in the snow and someone dropped a snowball on my face. I wound up inhaling a ton of ice and it made my nose bleed. It kinda sucked, a little.” Jungkook told his story, and Hoseok covered his nose with his hands, sucking air in through his teeth.   
“That’s the worst!” He hissed.   
“Yeah, that’s kinda gross.” Yoongi clicked his tongue, still eating despite his comment.   
“How are you eating?” Hoseok squeaked.  
“It’s not the grossest thing I’ve heard.” Taehyung volunteered.   
“Agreed, I’ve heard worse.” Namjoon nodded.   
“You guys disgust me.” Hoseok shook his head.  
“You’re gross too, hyung.” Jimin frowned.   
“Yeah, I never said I wasn’t.”  
“This is such a fucking stupid discussion.” 

 

The day passed, fairly normal from there. Everyone broke off to bid their time until bedtime. They had dance practice tomorrow. Back to the regularly scheduled programming. Taehyung wandering into his room, collapsing in his bed nearly immediately, groaning and slipping under the covers.He heard Namjoon wander in later, but he was too almost all the way unconcious to care. He thought he heard Namjoon leave again, but it wasn’t really his business. He drifted between consciousness and sleep, wishing he’d just fall asleep already. He sighed through his nose again, and shifted. He was growing more and more uncomfortable as the moments ticked by, the clock on Namjoon’s bedside table seeming to grow louder as the night wore on.   
And at first, it all seemed just fine.   
Until his chest began heating up.  
Taehyung shifted and rubbed at his chest under his shirt, his hand running over his necklace and moving it, his face giving a soft frown as he started waking up. He expected it to go away, but it kept heating up until it was truly uncomfortable. He squirmed and started trying to figure out what it could be, pawing at his chest as it began to burn, really burn him, and he let out a frustrated growl. He thrashed and sat up, knocking thing sot the ground as he struggled and struggle against the painful sensation.   
He thought he smelt something burning. 

“Namjoon, what are you doing?” Jin rubbed his eyes as he walked into the kitchen. “It’s so early. Go to bed.”   
“How did you know it was me?”  
“A hunch.” Jin yawned. “You can’t keep sneaking out like this. We have to practice choreo tomorrow.”  
“It’s fine, I’ll be back soon.” Namjoon smiled at Jin, but he obviously wasn’t buying it.  
“No, Namjoon. What do you have to hide from me? Have we not been close for years now? Why are you hiding this from me? Us? Why are you hiding this from us?” He corrected himself.   
“It’s really not that important-”  
“Then. Tell. Me.” Jin suddenly grew somber, angry, closing the gap between him and Namjoon. “Why do you do this?”  
“It’s not-”  
“Yes it is, god damn it! Why do you act like you’re trivial?” Jin snapped. “I swear, you and Yoongi are the same idiot sometimes!”   
“What do you mean?”  
“You both do this! You both stay up late and do this! You dismiss it when I’m concerned for you! Stop doing that! Let yourself matter, Namjoon! Let it matter!”   
“Jin, it’s really not that bad! I’m just going to call my mother.”   
“Bullshit.” Jin spat. “For five hours?”  
“That’s not all I do, I go on walks too-”  
“Namjoon, you are not a convincing liar.” Jin warned. “Tell the truth before I just get mad.”   
“I’m a werewolf.”  
“Namjoon.”   
“It’s the truth!”  
“Fine, if you don’t want to tell me, that’s fine. I get it, I’m not good enough suddenly.” Jin stepped back.  
“Jin. . .”  
“Jin what, Namjoon? What’re you gonna say, more fucking lies?”  
“No. I don’t want to lie to you.”  
“Then stop lying to me. Tell me something that’s true, Namjoon.”  
“I’m sorry.”  
“And I’m tired of worrying about you at night.”   
“I’m sorry and that’s my truth.” Namjoon repeated.   
“You’d better be.” Jin looked into Namjoon’s eyes with disgust written all over his face. Namjoon stared back, eyes vulnerable with regret. He wanted Jin to know all of it, but for now, that was impossible.   
“Go back to bed.”  
“No, Namjoon, you go to bed first.” Jin folded his arms.   
“. . .I can’t.”  
“Why the fuck not?” Jin snapped.   
“Jin?”  
“What?”  
“. . .Go back to sleep. Please.” Namjoon sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.   
“Fine. But you need to tell me eventually.”  
“I know, Jinnie. I know.”   
“You don’t get to call me Jinnie tonight. You’re being a prick. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Jin turned, and Namjoon his stomach shift uncomfortably.  
He hated it when Jin walked away from him like that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shit goeth down. . .y'all got any theories??


	15. The Morning After

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> heyyyyyy oops super short little tidbit sorry

“Taehyungie-hyung?” Jungkook knocked on the door of Taehyung’s room. Upon having no answer, he knocked once more. Surely, Namjoon would wake.   
But nobody answered.   
“I’m coming in,” he called out, twisting the door knob and pressing his shoulder to it to dislodge the door from the frame it got stuck on so often. The door protested, but it yielded and opened, catching on something as it swung open to reveal the ungodly mess inside.  
“The fuck?” Jungkook gasped. Taehyung’s half of the room was ripped up, sheets and bedding littered across the floor, items knocked off shelves and the small desk crammed in the corner, clothing flung from the closet in a seemingly unceremonious manner. The window was shattered, and on floor, Jungkook’s vision zeroed in on the silver cross that Taehyung always wore around his neck, loops of the cheap metal chain scattered around it and if it had been desperately torn off.   
“Guys. . . ?” He yelled over his shoulder. “Guys!” He yelled again.  
“What?” Jimin called back.   
“Come here,” Jungkook backed out of the room. Taehyung wouldn’t leave a room this way, and he certainly wouldn’t leave his necklace like that. He would have at least collected it. And Namjoon was missing. It was all wrong.   
“Why- oh my god!” Jimin gasped, backing away from the door as he peaked in.   
“Taehyung is missed and Namjoon isn’t there and Taehyung’s necklace is broken on the floor and I’m scared,” Jungkook cut himself off, his chest rising and falling and the scene only forced him further in anxiety. Jimin tugged the door as closed as he could get it, the stubborn thing getting stuck on a coat on the floor and making it hard to close.   
“L-Listen, I’m sure there’s a perfectly good explanation for this.” Jimin stuttered.   
“What’s going on?” Yoongi asked, poking his head out of his room.   
“Taehyung got kidnapped,” Jungkook whimpered.  
“Not funny.” Yoongi pointed out.   
“Look for yourself, hyung.”   
“What the fuck happened?”


	16. Just Hungry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Taehyung wasn’t afraid anymore.   
> He was just so, so hungry.

Taehyung shivered. It was so cold, but he couldn’t move. He should be dead, he should be dead, he should be DEAD. . . And maybe he was was. How did he know he wasn’t? Maybe everything was limbo. Maybe he was being pushed for a past life of his.   
He wasn’t even aware of where he was. He felt the stinging cold, but worse, he felt and droning senses of painful, all-consuming hunger. He smelled something in the air, copper and something else, and to any normal person, he knew it should be disgusting, but the copper tingy in the air maybe his stomach crawl and complain and beg. Taehyung wanted whatever it was, and that made him sick.   
Because he knew it was blood.   
He knew though, it was probably his own, after he shattered the window in a fit of confusion he hadn’t pulled out of yet. Something told Taehyung he couldn’t eat that, but he still felt as if he’d been starved for a million years with no promise of food in sight. He lifted his weak neck, stared as his shaking hands. The marks of burns from the silver chain of his necklace stared back up at him. When he turned them over, his eyes took in a shade of deep red, staring at the deep cuts and pieces of glass that hurt him. His blood hadn’t stopped flowing yet. He knew, logically, that should be an issue. It’d been hours. Some of the cuts should have begun to scab over, but his blood poured from even the tiny scrapes still.   
He should’ve been scared.   
But as he noticed when he’d gotten kidnapped, or when the lights went out at the awards show, he wasn’t afraid.   
Taehyung wasn’t afraid anymore.   
He was just so, so hungry.

He lifted his hands up to his mouth, reaching a dry tongue out to lick the deepest wound he saw, even though he knew it wasn’t right. He was so hungry it didn’t matter.   
“I wouldn’t.” Came a voice somewhere above him.   
“I don’t care.” Taehyung barely recognised his own voice, stripped bare from fright and pain and- as he’d begun to get used to- hunger. It felt more like a hiss, now.   
“It’s too thin. You’re in the process of bleeding out. It’s not good for you to drink that.” Taehyung watched a large hand envelope his hand he’d been moving to lick, and felt his other hand be given the same treatment.   
“Why?” He croaked.   
“Because I can’t let you get sick.” The voice was surprisingly gentle, and though Taehyung was beginning to feel kinship with this person, grateful they were being kind, he was annoyed.   
“I’m already sick. Leave me alone.” He groaned.   
“No, you’re my responsibility, Taehyung. Can you stand?”  
“No.” He didn’t bother to try asked how the man knew his name.   
He, honestly, didn’t care.   
“Come on, you didn’t even try.”  
“Too hungry.”   
“Haven’t you hunted yet?”  
“For what?”   
“Stay here. Do not drink your own blood.You WILL get deathly sick.” The man said, and Taehyung listened as he ran off. Taehyung had put his head back own, fighting to remain consciousness as he refused to stare at his bleeding hands. He knew he should try to puzzle through what the man meant, or even who he was. He knew he should’ve looked up to him, looked at his face.   
Taehyung still wasn’t afraid. 

 

“Taehyung-ah, I’m back,” Called the voice. Taehyung finally looked up, and his vision swam, his head becoming light as air as he struggle to maintain the action.   
“Hey, hey, don’t strain yourself.” Taehyung watched as the blurry blob in his vision put both hands on his shoulders. “I brought you something, and I’m really going to need you not to fight me on this.”   
“Is it food?” He asked blearily, his jaw becoming slack as he lacked the focus to keep his mouth closed. He felt something burning above where his adult teeth exited his gums, but it didn’t hurt enough to do anything about it.  
“Yes. But you’re not gonna like it-”  
“I don’t care.” Taehyung cut him off. “Give. Please.” He added as an afterthought.  
“Fine.” The man huffed and walked away, and dragged something near Taehyung.   
“‘Sat a person?” Taehyung slurred, squeezing his eyes shut and opening them again, clearing his vision as best as he could. He felt something press against his bottom lip. He moved his lip to put it over them offending objects, but the objects sliced the skin that pressed into the, freeing two more stands of crimson to flowdown his face.   
“Yes.” Came the curt response.   
“‘S he okay?”  
“He’s food.”  
“I uh, I don’t eat people-”  
“You do now, Taehyung.” The man knelt near the body- Taehyung presumed he was dead. But it smelled good.   
And suddenly, it smelled so much better.   
The man drew away, cleaning off a knife.   
“That might help.” He paced away, and Taehyung lurched forward, practically crawling to the man that had been deposited near him. Taehyung’s stomach cried out more, enveloping itself over twice.   
Taehyung wasn’t afraid.   
But he was so, so hungry. 

 

“Namjoon, pick up.” Jin pleaded to his cell phone, calling for the fifth time in the past ten minutes. He sighed, frustratedly, as it drifted off to voicemail once again. “Namjoon, we really need you around right now. Hoseok is gone, too, and Taehyung is still missed, the authorities can’t find him and trust us, we called. We called. Uh, yeah. Whatever the hell it is you’re doing, you need to wrap it up, because, hey, three of our members are just missing and I’d like to have at least one back.”   
“No luck?” Yoongi turned to look at the older man.   
“No dice, no Namjoon. I tried calling Tae, too, but his phone is in his room. And Hoseok, but I never count on him to pick up the phone when I call. Might leave another voicemail.” Jin sighed, letting his phone fall into his lap.   
“They seriously picked the worst night to just walk out on us.” Yoongi grumbled. He’d been curled in the same position for hours now, but looked otherwise emotionless. If Jin hadn’t known better, he’d’ve said that Yoongi was underreacting.   
This was the way Yoongi dealt with strong negative emotions.   
He shut down, because reserved and somber and still entirely, as if he stayed still enough he’d become stone and he would think no longer. Jin knew that Yoongi knew that wasn’t what would happen, but he also knew that didn’t help Yoongi from trying. The small producer wasn’t worried about Namjoon, or Hoseok- at this point, Yoongi was used to them not being around- he was, however, scared to death of the fact that Taehyung was missing in the way he was.   
Kidnapped, twice?   
It seemed unlikely to Yoongi, but maybe the kidnappers were just really THAT crazy. But then, why not take Jungkook again? Or any other the other members, for that matter?  
And why was the window’s glass all outside the building instead of inside if they broke the window to get to Taehyung in the first place?  
Nothing added up.  
Yoongi begged for the comfort of his leader back, silently praying for Namjoon to come take care of everything. It might not solve all his problems, but it would solve a great deal of them. Namjoon not picking up the phone did nothing to ease his fears. He could see Jin’s stress, written all over his body. In his face, and his shoulders, and the way he couldn’t sit still when normally he remained poised. Jin had never been good at faking his emotions. Sure, he was an actor, but that was pretending to be someone else. Jin couldn’t pretend to be himself, but okay. That wasn’t how that worked. So instead, he was just. . . distressed. Visibly. Jimin and Jungkook. . .Yoongi wouldn’t lie, he’d avoided checking in on them. He didn’t know if he was going to be able to handle their anxiety. He cared, he really did, but he didn’t think he really could make a difference. Seeing Jin this way was bad enough, he didn’t think he could handle the other two at the same time. 

 

Taehyung forgot to have inhibitions for a moment as he tugged unconscious the man to sit up by his shoulders and focused his eyes on his neck. The mysterious man watched as Taehyung’s eyes dilated as they focused on the tiny slit he’d made on the subject’s neck. Blood beaded and spilled over, and Taehyung lowered his head to the man’s neck, new white fangs gliding over pale and easily broken skin. His tongue took up the spare blood that he’d let run, and he felt the man’s pulse. So he was still alive, after all.   
Taehyung forgot to have disgust for himself as a temporary relief flooded his senses, the crimson feeling indescribable on his tongue.   
But he needed more than a small lick. He couldn’t deny himself of this. Without being entirely conscious of what he was doing- maybe for the best- he sank his teeth into the poor human’s neck, long fangs finding his veins and drawing in the crimson blood into Taehyung’s mouth. Taehyung used to be squeamish.  
But Taehyung wasn’t afraid anymore.   
He was just. . . hungry.   
The substance coated the inside of his mouth as he savored the taste, then slowly savoring the feeling of it washing down his throat. The satisfaction of finally getting what his body knew he needed was almost more than he could bear.   
“Careful, Taehyung. We don’t need to kill him.”  
“I’m still hungry.” He croaked as he withdrew his teeth gently from the man’s neck. “He’s not dead yet. Just let me. . .for another minute. . .” He trailed off as he put his mouth back to the man. A stranger, supposedly just plucked off the street. His teeth guided the very thing that kept this man alive into Taehyung’s mouth for a moment or so more before Taehyung felt full.   
“Are you okay now?” Taehyung heard the man ask in earnest now.   
“. . .Yes.” Taehyung responded as he pulled away and stared at the man he’d just drained.   
Taehyung wasn’t hungry anymore.   
He was just afraid.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :))))))))))


	17. Three Left

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Hoseokie-hyung?”

“We should get you to the warehouse and clean you up,” The man said as Taehyung stared at the shell of the person he just drank from.   
“Is he dead?” Taehyung asked, softly. “We’re not going to help him?”   
“He’ll be fine, look, he already stopped bleeding. Oh, shit.” The man cursed.   
“What?”  
“. . . You were never properly bled out, were you?”  
“I don’t know what that means.” He replied weakly.   
“When you turn, your blood just gets thinner and thinner since you don’t need it to power you. Most vampires wind up doing it themselves. You know, stabbing themselves and all that. But you, you threw yourself out of a window instead, which means all your blood had been trying to find a way out. Christ, Tae, that’s why you couldn’t hunt.”  
“So. . .rry?” Taehyung frowned, and stared up at the man.   
His eyes went wind as he realized- and how couldn’t he have before?- who exactly had been caring for him after this strange happening.   
“Hoseokie-hyung?” 

 

 

“Where are you, Namjoon?” Jin pleaded the telephone to tell him. “Call back, please.” He weakly hung up the phone. It’d been hours, nobody had seen hide nor hair of any of the three missing members of bangtan. Yoongi had slipped out to go look for them, leaving behind three individual distraught members of the vocal line to sit in a nearly empty apartment. Without four of the members, it seemed so empty, and Jin hadn’t mustered the energy to move from his bed. He could only stare at the empty bed acrost the room and wonder when Yoongi would come back. Hope Yoongi would come back. Taehyung had been abducted, or some shit, and Namjoon and Hoseok were completely and utterly missing. Just gone.   
“Hyung?”  
“Yeah, Jimin?” Jin’s lips barely moved, and his head didn’t as he numbly looked at the ground in the center of the room.   
“Can. . . can Jungkook and I stay in here until they come back?”   
“Of course.”   
Jimin sat delicately in Yoongi’s bed, but Jungkook made his way through the room to sit at the end of Jin’s bed. Lifting his head up, Jin could see how red the youngest’s eyes were, and the tear stains on his cheeks, and the way his shoulders were still shaking as if he were crying, but had no more tears left to cry for his missing bandmates. Jin reached out a long arm, and Jungkook leaned into Jin’s torso, shaking like a leaf in a typhoon as he surrendered support of his body to Jin. Jungkook didn’t want to hold himself up, his head hurting from sobbing, his chest hurting from hyperventilation, his mind hurting from the anxiety attacks. He couldn’t think anymore, so he surrendered that too. Jin hugged Jungkook to himself softly. They were all in that stage after crying where one doesn’t care what happens. They were tired, but none of them wanted to sleep. Hungry, but they knew they couldn’t keep something down if they tried.  
It was painful.

 

“Yeah, I know, there’s some crazy stuff going on right now Tae. I really need you to not ask questions right now, though. I’m going to take care of you, okay?”  
“No, not okay, I think i just killed a man so I could eat and I jumped out of a fucking window and I’m still alive and vampires are a thing and is this where you’ve been escaping to at night? And where are we, anyways? How are the others? Is Namjoon in on this?”   
“Taehyung, shush.”  
“No, Hoseok, this is important.” Taehyung stood up and felt dizzy, falling over almost immediately.   
“Taehyung, I’ll answer everything once you turn correctly. You’re in the middle of the biggest shift in the process and it’s really, really dangerous.” Hoseok knelt near his friend.   
“I don’t want to turn or whatever. I wanna be a human.” He groaned.   
“I know, I’m sorry this happened to you.” Hoseok whispered. “It wasn’t supposed to be one of us, I promise.”   
“Which us is that? Bangtan? Or the vampires?”  
“It wasn’t supposed to be a bts member. I’m so sorry.” Hoseok nearly withered at the accusatory tone.   
“So you were going to hurt someone else?”  
“. . .Yes.”  
“Why?”  
“Because the pink ties are going to kill all of us and any mortal in this territory if they end up ruling over it. We need more bodies to defend people. So we’ve been turning a lot of people lately. We weren’t supposed to get anyone important.”  
“And we’re only important because we’re famous?”  
“You know what I mean, Taehyung. We’re in the public eye. It’s hard to be vampire with and idol’s schedule. It might be different as a witch, and probably entirely effortless as a shapeshifter or a faerie, but werewolves and sirens and selkies and vampires have it really rough. Well, so I’ve heard from a few friends, anyways. . .”  
“You can’t just dump the knowledge f all these creatures existing at once. Do I get like. . .a powerpoint or something to watch? A vampire 101 class to attend?”  
“Uh, kinda, actually.” Hoseok laughed and ruffled his own hair. Taehyung laughed until he started coughing, red speckles beginning to decorate his cheeks. Hoseok panicked.   
“Roll over, roll over,” He urged him. Taehyung propped himself up so that he was on his hands and knees, in time for another wave of coughing followed by gagging. Taehyung felt water like liquid fill his lungs as he coughed and hacked, gasping for breath as his chest hurt with the effort. His stomach muscles tensed and contracted painfully until Taehyung felt something rise from deep within him until he was throwing up on the pavement, his eyes squeezed shut against the splatter of horrifying crimson red that exited his mouth as he threw up his own too-thin blood. Hoseok patted his back firmly, his nose wrinkled up at the disgusting, thinned out fluid. It was like spoiled food to him. A moldy sandwich that was once really good now gone down the drain, stale. What he was suppose to do was make a cut to one of Taehyung’s main arteries to let to thinned blood flow out, or this happened.   
But it was hard to see Taehyung suffer through this already. He didn’t know if he could handle slicing his friend open after all this.   
He was rapidly wishing he had as the blood flowed up, making Taehyung cough and choke as he threw it up. Hoseok had been spared, given the proper treatment and allowed to adjust in the warehouse for a few days under the guise of visiting his family. Sure, it had taken a lot of hypnosis, but Hoseok had been off far better from it. He’d noticed it start happening after the noise in the aley. The frequency of the noise that had been set off was tuned so that vampires just couldn’t hear it, nor could most mythical creatures. When Taehyung said it was mostly quiet, Hoseok knew what was to come. He tried so so hard to spare Taehyung from this situation gone through every old latin tome to find a cure. But nothing came of it.   
Now he only watched his friend’s blood spill onto the ground.


	18. I Gave You Blood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh my god Taehyung you can't just ask people what blood type they are (AKA authot doesn't have a good line of dialogue for the summary tonight boisssss)

“Think you got most of it up?” Hoseok asked, delicately as he rubbed Taehyung’s back.   
“Y-” Taehyung gagged once more, coughing up a little extra. “Yeah. I think s-so.”   
“Okay.” Hoseok smiled. “I’ll help you up. We’ll get you to the warehouse, we’ll make sure we’ve got everything out, and we’ll get you all situated with the things you need to know. Then, we gotta return to the dorm.”  
“I can’t,” Taehyung choked.  
“I know it’s hard, tae, but we’ve gotta. The longer we’re gone, the harder it’ll be to get the guys to calm down about it. We might have to bring in extra hypnotists, and that’s a whole ass mess. I think I can do the trick, but it’s not my talent, and-”  
“What if I try to eat one of the members? Like Jungkookie?”   
“Jungkook isn’t type AB, he’ll be fine.” Hoseok dismissed.   
“What does that mean?”  
“You can only drink from compatible blood types. You’re AB. Jungkook is A. Most of the members are A, actually. Jin-hyung and Yoongi-hyung are O, though, so they’re compatible. Just don’t stand super close to them too often while you’re hungry. Either way, we’re set up with the local red cross. You won’t be starved or anything, as long as you drop by the warehouse every few nights for a meal.” Hoseok dismissed.   
“Is that why you never get close to Yoongi-hyung?”   
“I get close to him all time! He smells really, really good though. I’d never drink from him in a million years, but he smells ridiculously good.”   
“You sure that’s not just because of your massive crush on hi-”  
“Yah! Brat, I’m saving your un-life! Be grateful for five seconds!” Hoseok smacked at Taehyung gently, and Taehyung laughed weakly, waving an arm in return.   
“Wait, what blood type are you?” Taehyung frowned.   
“I was A, so it’s kinda hard to keep up my physical affection shtick when I get inches from a good meal. But, I just eat a little more often instead. It’s easier not to be tempted that way.” He smiled. “You have little to worry about, though.”  
“I’m. . .sorry.” Taehyung tilted his head.   
“Oh, no, be sorry for the O types. They have an easier job hunting, but they’re so fucked when they’re acting human. Vampires can pick out their preferred blood types very easily, like you’ll be able to smell an AB out of a sea of A. It’s kinda fascinating, actually.”  
“That sounds rough.” Taehyung shakily stood up, and Hoseok scooted closer, supporting the younger man.   
“Yeah, vampires don’t have a breezy time.”  
“So. . .what about the sun thing? Or the garlic thing?” Taehyung asked as Hoseok began to lead him to the end of the alleyway where there was a duffle bag.   
“We just sunburn really painful, is all. But you’ve really got to look out for garlic. It’ll make you throw up like hell.” Hoseok let Taehyung lean against a wall as he began rooting through the bag.   
“Silver? Holy stuff?”   
“I saw the burns on you, you should know what that shit does to us.”  
“Walking in uninvited?”  
“You’ve seen me bust down enough doors to know that’s some bullshit.” Hoseok tugged a black hoodie, a baseball hat, and a facemask out of the bag and handed them to Taehyung.   
“Put those on. We really don’t need to be recognised right now.” He explained, tugging his own hoodie over his head.   
“True enough.” Taehyung hummed and obeyed, making himself indistinguishable from, maybe, a very introverted person avoiding all contact with others.   
There were plenty of those types around the city.   
Hoseok let taehyung lean on him as much as he needed to as began slowly leading Taehyung through the streets. Taehyung had, fortunately, gravitated towards the warehouse already. Hoseok had gone through and gotten rid of all evidence of where Taehyung was- an exhausting project- and was now in the home stretch. First was cleaning up up and making sure they’d gotten all of his blood out of his system, and then was getting all his questions answered, indoctrinated, and then finally returned peacefully to the dorm.   
Easy, right? 

 

“Guys, a little help,” Hoseok called. “It’s just me, and a new recruit.”   
“What’s their status?” A female voice called back as footsteps approached.   
“He’s mostly bled out and fed, but he’s got some burns on his hands that are pretty damn serious.” Hoseok turned to face the approaching woman.   
“What happened?” She asked, stopping a little short of Hoseok and taehyung.   
“Well, he was a Christian, so naturally he had a SILVER cross necklace on the night he turned.”   
“Ooh, that’s rough.” the woman sucked in a breath. She was really pretty, taehyung noticed- then again, he supposed most vampires were. It was part of the whole thing, he guessed.   
“I’m Seohyun.” The woman offered a hand to shake, and Taehyung took it.   
“Taehyung.” He croaked.   
“Taehyung? Like the singer?”  
“Yeah. I’m not doing much singing right now, though.”  
“You’re kidding me. You are NOT V from BTS.” She folded her arms, and Taehyung tugged down his face mask. Seohyun’s jaw dropped.   
“The one and only.”  
“Holy shit, Hoseok, what the fuck!” She turned on Hoseok, who put his hands up.   
“What?”  
“WHAT DID YOU DO? HE’S YOUR FRIEND, WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT TO HIM-”  
“Seohyun, you know we weren’t targeting idols. Tae got caught in the crossfire of the ritual by accident.” Hoseok responded quietly.   
“You’re right. Sorry.” Seohyun pouted and backed off.   
“You’re fine.”  
“I’m a big fan of yours, by the way. I really love your voice, it’s phenomenal. Anyways,” Seohyun shook her head, shifting gears. “You should get him to the infirmary and get him drained all the way. I can still smell the blood thinner on him.” She didn’t even get a chance for Taehyung to say thank you or tell her it was nice to meet her before she bustled away.   
“And that was the lovely miss Park Seohyun.” Hoseok beamed after her. “Poor lesbian, she’s been having the worst mood swings the past few days. I hope her personal life is okay right now.”  
“Are you allowed to say that about her?”  
“Yeah, of course, I’m worried about her personal life. Come on, follow me.”


	19. I'd Rather Die

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was too quiet in the room Taehyung was led into. Hoseok tugged him into a room covered in plastic sheets with a bathtub in the corner.  
> It wasn’t white anymore.

It was too quiet in the room Taehyung was led into. Hoseok tugged him into a room covered in plastic sheets with a bathtub in the corner.  
It wasn’t white anymore.  
Taehyung smelled something like hospitals in the room, some kind of antiseptic. Wasn’t that how things like that smelled anyways? Maybe he was imagining it. He didn’t know. But Hoseok led him in and sat him down on the bathtub’s side anyways.  
“I know this is scary. You’re handling this really well, actually.” Hoseok mentioned as he fiddled with something on a table.  
“I threw myself out a window and threw up.”  
“Yeah, but now you’re. . .chill. And you haven’t fought me on much. It’s impressive.”  
“I’m not chill. I’m just tired. I want to sleep. Maybe never wake up. Then I won’t have to face Jungkook as a monster.” He leaned against the wall, propping a leg on the side of the bathtub, as a nearly emotionless voice pushed the words he’d been thinking all evening into the open air.  
“Hey, hey, hey, where is that coming from?” Hoseok frowned, turning around.  
“I’m a monster now, Hoseok. I eat humans. That’s horrifying.”  
“It’s natural.”  
“No, it’s not. It’s not natural at all,” Taehyung croaked.  
“I feel insulted.” Hoseok grumbled, turning back to what he’d been doing.  
“Why? . . .Oh. Sorry, hyung, I didn’t mean that.” Taehyung blinked.  
“No, you’re right. It’s weird. You just have to get used to it. I think Jungkook would rather face you as a monster than as a picture on a memorial shrine.”  
“Are you sure, though?”  
“Taehyung, do you really have such little faith in him that you’d think he’d rather see you dead than a vampire?”  
“I wouldn’t blame him.”  
“Okay, would you rather see him dead than a vampire?”  
“. . .I couldn’t wish him death.”  
“Exactly, dipshit, he’s not going to see you as a monster, he’s going to see you as Taehyung, the weird kid that makes faces at the cameras during interviews.”  
“But I’m not that anymore,” He protested.  
“Yes you are. You’re just going through a few changes at the moment. You’ll be back on your feet soon. Remember the period after our debut where I was just kinda edgy?”  
“. . .yeah?”  
“I had just turned, I was still dealing with it. You get used to it eventually, then you’re better off for it. It’s pretty similar to being a human, actually. Except instead of requiring food, you need blood. We don’t hunt, anyways. We use donations of the more common blood types instead of universal donors. So we don’t like. . . hurt people.”  
“Mm.” Taehyung replied, quite obviously unconvinced.  
“Listen, Tae, it just takes a little getting used to. You’re not a monster, you just not human anymore. There’s a lot of supernatural things in the world, it’s just that humans don’t generally know about them.”  
“Because they’ll freak out, right?”  
“Yeah, I think most people would be alright. It’s just the people that wouldn’t that are dangerous enough to keep us in the shadows.”  
“What if-”  
“Taehyung. Jungkook is not an issue. Neither are the others. Leave it.” Hoseok snapped.  
“I’m sorry.” He whispered, staring at the ceiling instead of the older boy.  
“You’ll be just fine, Tae. Just let us take care of you and I’ll bring you home and it’ll be all okay.” Hoseok reassured him.  
“If you say so.” Taehyung replied with a less than enthusiastic voice. It made Hoseok angry that he didn’t believe him. Why didn’t he believe him in what he said? Why didn’t Hoseok’s words make any difference to this kid?  
“I do say so because I went through this same exact thing with a friend to lean on, Taehyung. I made it through debut surrounded by support by still alone. I watched us rise and I slowly became an actual part of the band. Nothing changed between me and you guys. Nothing will change between you and Jungkook, or you and Jin-hyung, or you and Namjoon-hyung. Nothing changes except you. Namjoon sneaks out at night, you can too. I’ll come with you. It’ll be fine.”  
“Fine. But when they find out- because they always find out- I want to tell them the truth.”  
“You can’t tell them, they won’t understand.”  
“Then stop telling me it’ll be fine, Hoseok! If I can’t trust them with this secret, if they’ll call me a monster then I don’t wanna live that lie.” Taehyung sat up all the way, staring at Hoseok.  
“Stop trying to be poetic, Taehyung. Life isn’t poetic.” Hoseok looked away, his voice turning soft.  
“Poems are based off of life, it’s gotta be poetic. And I wasn’t trying to be poetic, anyways.”  
“Just let me help you and shut up, god damn it.” Hoseok hissed.  
“Fine!” Taehyung snapped back.  
“Roll up your pant leg.” Hoseok instructed. Taehyung did as he was told. “And, uh, you might wanna look away, cause this kinda fuckin sucks.”  
Taehyung glanced over to see Hoseok golding a large syringe and cringing at it already. He didn’t want to be the motherfuck to do this.  
“Hell no.” Taehyung paled beyond his already light state.  
“I’m sorry, you’ll just get sick if we leave it in there-”  
“I don’t think you heard me right. Hell, no.”  
“It’s either this or cutting your feet open really really deep and honestly, I’d rather go with the syringe.”  
“I’d rather die!”  
“You might and I’m not letting that happen! You’ve got a lot of people that care about you! Just stay still, it’ll be over in like five minutes at the very most and it’ll never have to happen again. I guarantee that you will be in more pain dying all the way than if you just let me do this.” Hoseok shook the syringe at him.  
Taehyung weighed his options. “Fine. If I die, I wanna say goodbye to Kook first.”  
“Christ, I’m starting to think that turning makes you an emo.”


	20. Acting Bullshit, Or Whatever

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You talk about Jungkook an awful lot,” Hoseok pointed out as he placed the cold towellet on Taehyung to sterilize the skin near the vein the only blood left was in.   
> “Just do the thing.” Taehyung snapped.  
> “It’s going to take a moment, just. . .banter with me a moment, okay? I’m trying to make things easier.”  
> “Fine, yeah, I talk about Kook a lot.” Taehyung huffed. “What about it?”

“You talk about Jungkook an awful lot,” Hoseok pointed out as he placed the cold towellet on Taehyung to sterilize the skin near the vein the only blood left was in.   
“Just do the thing.” Taehyung snapped.  
“It’s going to take a moment, just. . .banter with me a moment, okay? I’m trying to make things easier.”  
“Fine, yeah, I talk about Kook a lot.” Taehyung huffed. “What about it?”  
“I don’t know. It’s kind of a recent thing, I guess.” Hoseok shrugged.   
“Not really. I’m just good at staying quiet.” Taehyung shrugged back.  
“. . .Are you into him?”  
“Man, I don’t fucking know.” Taehyung threw his arms up. “I’ve been trying to work myself through it, like, really hard, but the more I wonder the more even the friend versus crush columns get. I can’t genuinely tell and it’s freaking me out. I’ve never felt this strong of a pull to another person before. Like, Jiminie’s my best friend, definitely, but. . . Kook’s different.”  
“Holy shit, you’re totally into Jungkook.” Hoseok looked up at him, blinking. “I wasn’t expect an honest answer, to be honest. . .”   
“Why not?”  
“You avoid JUngkook’s love life as a conversation topic like a spider, dude. Between liking him or him liking other people or the little girlfriend he had in school during training--”  
“We are not talking about her,” Taehyung grumbled.  
“Exactly. You avoid that topic so much it should be an olympic sport at this point. I didn’t expect you to be honest.”  
“What about you, Hoseokie-hyung? What about Yoongi?”   
“He’s after Jimin. He couldn’t care less about me romantically, no matter what I tried. And knowing him, he’ll sweep Jiminie right off his stupid little midget feet. And Jimin better treat him right. I’ll come for his ass if he breaks his heart.”  
“You certainly don’t sound bitter.”  
“I’m not.” Hoseok frowned. “Just. . .a little jealous of Jimin. I’ve been trying for three years to get Yoongi to look at me like I’m not just Hoseok-ah, that crackhead dancing rapper that makes aegyo and stupid sounds effects. I wanna be Hoseok, a friend, maybe even more than that. Why do I even talk?” He shook his head, realizing he was spilling years of secrets from his heart.  
“Did he tell you he was after Jiminie?”  
“Isn’t it obvious? Haven’t you seen the way he looks at Jimin?” Hoseok laughed. “He’s head over heels.”   
“. . . He looks at everyone that way when they’re not looking. He’s just proud of us, hyung.”  
“The fuck are you talking about?”  
“You know Yoongi-hyung doesn’t like to show affection up front. He tries to look cool. But every once and awhile, I catch him slip. He just looks at the members like they’re the best thing this earth has to offer. It’s really endearing, actually. And when he does show affection, you know you make him do it? You make him bold, hyung.”  
“You’re full of shit.” Hoseok scoffed.   
“You know I’m right, Hoseokie-hyung.”   
“Fine. Maybe I should stop being so jealous.” Hoseok sighed and paused. “. . . Does he look at me like that?”  
“Only every day, hyung.” Taehyung laughed. “It’s. . . nauseating.”  
“Yah, brat!”  
“What, he’s not even here, you don’t need to tell me to watch my tongue.” Taehyung laughed.   
“Shut up, Taehyung!”  
“Drain me already, then!”  
“I did.”  
“YOU DID?!”  
“Yeah, I told you it wouldn’t be that bad.”   
“Sorry for doubting you, bro.”   
“That’s fine. Okay, let’s dress this.” Hoseok nodded to himself and got up, collecting supplies round the room as Taehyung watched, his eyes flicking between Hoseok and watching his own blood flowing down the drain and at the hole in his foot where Hoseok had put the needle in. Hoseok returned and focused, sticking his tongue out of the side of his mouth as he wrapped Taehyung’s foot in gauze.   
“Okay, after this, we walk towards the dorm. We both look tired and kind of beat up, so we pretend that you got snatched and that I ran off to rescue you. I can do minor hypnosis on the ones that matter, so just try to but all your acting bullshit to work.”  
“‘S not just acting bullshit, but alright.” Taehyung mumbled as Hoseok taped the gauze in place.   
“Alrighty. Let’s get a-limpin’.” 

 

 

“Hoseokie? Taehyungie? That you?” Hissed a voice as taehyung and Hoseok walked by an alley.   
They both froze.  
“Don’t worry, it’s just Yoongi.” He called out. “C’mere.” They looked over to see the small figure of Min Yoongi hiding in the shadows and obeyed.   
“The fuck are you doing out here, hyung?”  
“Looking for you dumbshits. Where were you?”  
“I was looking for Taehyung,”  
“And I was trying to be less kidnapped.”   
“We need to go back to the dorm, like, now. You two and Namjoon are scaring the everloving fuck out of everyone. It’s back, okay? There were emotions and I had to get the fuck out.”  
“Aww, nice to know you care about us.” Taehyung cooed.  
“Taehyung.Shut up.” Hoseok hissed.   
“Be nice to him, man, he just went missing.” Yoongi smacked Hoseok’s shoulder, but there was affection in his eyes.  
Hoseok probably hadn’t noticed, but Taehyung always looked just a little closer.   
“He put me through hell.” Hoseok argued.   
“I kinda did, yeah.”  
“Taehyung. Shut up.” Yoongi parrotted Hoseok’s earlier words.  
“I thought we were being nice to him?”  
“You too, Hoseok. Just shut up and come with me back home.”


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Yoongi-hyung, why are you mean to Hoseok-hyung all the time?”   
> “I’m perfectly nice to Hoseok.”   
> “Then. . .why are you so mean?”   
> “I’m not. Mean. To him. You maybe, cause you’re a brat, but Hoseok is. . . . .good.”   
> “That’s awfully nice.”   
> “I’m not nice to him either. Fuck off.”

“Yoongi-hyung, why are you mean to Hoseok-hyung all the time?” Taehyung piped up.  
“I’m perfectly nice to Hoseok.” Yoongi huffed.  
“Then. . .why are you so mean?”   
“I’m not. Mean. To him. You maybe, cause you’re a brat, but Hoseok is. . . . .good.” Yoongi was leading, so he didn’t catch the pointed look Taehyung exchanged with Hoseok, who smiled to himself at the praise.   
“That’s awfully nice.”   
“I’m not nice to him either. Fuck off.”  
“Yoongi-hyung, do you wanna talk about it? Feeeeeelings, Yoongi-hyung-”  
“I don’t have those, Tae. Shut up.”   
“Not even for Hoseokie-hyung?”  
“Oh my sweet dear lord baby jesus. . .” Hoseok muttered.   
“Remember that time when you shut up? Yeah. Me neither. Maybe you should make my vision come true. You know. By shutting up.”   
“Holy shit, Taehyung i think he’s blushing-”  
“Hyung, you’re red too-”  
“Shhh, Tae let me have this.”  
“I should’ve left you both on the street,” Yoongi groaned, letting his head fall backwards so he could plead silently to the sky to be rescued from the chucklefucks he’d been cursed with.   
“Hyung you love Hoseokie-hyung too much to ever do that and you know it!”  
“I don’t love you or him or the others. The only thing I love is my bed. And my laptop. Not you guys, though.”  
“What about your puppy, though?”  
“. . .Alright, and my puppy.”  
“You know, Hoseokie-hyung is like a puppy-”  
“No, Hoseok is the sun.”   
“That might be the nicest thing I’ve ever heard you say.” Hoseok blinked.   
“Don’t get used to it. It’s what ARMY calls you. I’m just passing along the message.” He grumbled.   
“Okay you old grandpa, we get it, you don’t DO affection, or FEELINGS. We get it, hyung.” Taehyung rolled his eyes.  
“Oi, respect me.”  
“No.”  
“No yourself.” 

 

“Guys? You still here?” Yoongi called, turning on the light as he entered the kitchen.   
The came no answer, and Yoongi swore softly. “Guys? Shit.” He left Hoseok and Taehyung in the kitchen, running to Jungkook, Hoseok, and Jimin’s room first.   
Nobody there.  
He ducked his head into Namjoon and Taehyung’s, not expecting anyone as he poked his head in the door.   
He was right.  
He was desperate by the time he slid by his own room, chest tightening with panic as he threw the door open.   
Jimin was the first he saw, curled up on his bed and fully asleep. He glanced to the other side of the room to see Jungkook asleep on Jin’s shoulder.   
“Wake up, idiots.” He called, startling all three awake.   
“What? What is it?”  
“I found two of our missing dipshits.   
“Wait, you found Taehyung?” Jungkook shot up, almost falling over.   
“Yeah, and Hoseok. I have no idea where Namjoon is. He wasn’t with them.” Yoongi shrugged, and Jin frowned. Jungkook shot past Yoongi into the kitchen, where he stopped dead in the doorway as he watched Taehyung, face dirtied with specks of blood on the corners, toe off a pair of sneakers a size too big for him.   
“Taehyung? What happened?”  
“It’s a long story.” Taehyung mumbled, wishing now that he’d kept the facemask on.   
“I want to know. I was worried.” Jungkook folding his arms.  
“You’re not my mother, Jungkook-ah.” Taehyung sighed.   
“No, but you gave me a ten hour anxiety attack, Taehyung. I think I’m owed an explanation.” Jungkook was fuming now. He was exhausted, his head hurt, and as much as his heart had soared to see Taehyung home again, he was now angry that he could hide something to important.   
“I really can’t explain, but it’s okay. Hobi-hyung found me, and he helped me through what happened, then we kinda got lost and Yoongi-hyung found us and brought us home.”   
“It’s not okay, Taehyung. You were missing. For the second time. I mean, I was around the first time, but this time I had no idea where you were, and then Hobi-hyung was gone, and Namjoon-hyung had been missing since last night, and-”  
“TAEHYUNGIEEEEEEEEE!” Wailed Jimin as he walked into the room. He ran and jumped at taehyung, who caught him. Jungkook found himself only more angry than before.   
Why?  
Jimin could hug Taehyung if he wanted to. Well, Jungkook didn’t think Taehyung really deserved hugs right now. Yeah, that. Not jealousy. Jimin was providing Taehyung an easy out from this.   
“Are you okay?” He cried, hopping down from Taehyung’s grip as he saw the blood on him.   
“Yeah, now I am. I need a shower.” He sighed. “And sleep. Sleep would also be nice.”  
“Ohh, me too.” Hoseok groaned from the living room. “You go first.”   
“Why are we ignoring the fact that you two went fucking missing for hours?! Why you are willing to let that go?” Jungkook demanded.  
“I think we should let them have their space for now.” Jimin pointed out. “They can talk about it later.”  
“They seem just fine right now, though-”  
“People have different ways of coping, Jungkook, it’s time you learned that and gave them their space!” Jimin snapped.  
“I’m not the one who TACKLED Taehyung!” Jungkook retorted, disbelief coursing through his tired veins.  
“Oh, but wouldn’t you like to?” Jimin jabbed a short finger at him accusingly.   
“Guys, stop fighting-” Taehyung tried to interject, but he was shouted over.   
“Really, that’s where we’re going with this? I thought I was the child here, hyung!” Jungkook replied, mocking.   
“You are a child! You just seem hellbent on never growing up! You’re annoying and immature-”  
“I SAID STOP FIGHTING!” Taehyung shouted.   
Everyone in the room, now including Yoongi and Jin who had come in to the sounds of the younger ones yelling, froze at the sudden outburst.   
“Christ, can’t you two just get along?” Taehyung rubbed his temples.   
“You never say that,” Jin muttered.   
“I know. But it’s fitting right now.” Taehyung looked up. “Now, I’m going to go take a shower and maybe we’ll talk later but i really need things to maybe be a little quieter. I’ve had a really, really, really shitty day and night. Jungkook. . .you’ll get answers eventually. I promise.” Taehyung pushed past everyone to get clean clothes from his room.   
“Hoseok-hyung? Can I talk to you? Outside, maybe?” Jungkook snapped his gaze to Hoseok. The fire in his eyes had left, leaving a dull tiredness from fighting with Jimin.   
“Uhhhh, sure.” Hoseok shrugged, following the exhausted maknae out of the apartment.  
“Did you kiss Taehyung?” Jungkook stared up at Hoseok with an unreadble look in his eyes under the bags.   
“WHAT?” Hsoek recoiled, offended, genuinely, at the question.   
“Shh. Did you kiss him? I know something’s going on. You ‘helped him through’ something. Nobody phrases something like that and doesn’t mean they didn’t have romantic feelings involved. I just want to know. Did you kiss Taehyung?” Jungkook folded his arms.   
“Is that what you think happened?” Hoseok wrinkled up his nose.  
“Why do you think I’m asking, hyung?”  
“Okay, I feel like this is a trick question, cause if I lie and say yes, you’ll be angry at me. If I tell you no, though, you won’t believe me, and get mad.”  
“Yeah, this is kind of how this is going to work.” Jungkook shrugged.  
“Listen. I wouldn’t kiss Tae. There was something. . . really. . .” Hoseok sighed. “There was some bad shit going down, Jungkook, I won’t lie.”  
“Then why didn’t you wake the rest of us up?” Jungkook demanded.   
“I panicked, okay? I didn’t kiss him because I know you have your eyes on him.”  
“I-I don’t I-”  
“Jungkook, listen, I understand. I tease you about it all the time but I’m going through the same thing. Let me finish, alright?”  
“F-Fine.”  
“I like Yoongi. Like, I think I’m ACTUALLY in love with that man. I talked some big issues through with Taehyung, helped him home, nothing more. We talked about that. Not because he likes me that way, he doesn’t, it wasn’t that, before you get worried about that. Taehyung trusted me with some big problems in his life, and I know he’ll open up to you too, it just might take some time.”  
“But why? Why not me? Can’t he trust me?” Jungkook whispered.  
“People are vulnerable when they’re going through things. I just caught him at a hard time. You’ll be the first to find out when he’s ready to open up, I guarantee. Alright?”  
“Alright.”  
“Less jealous now?”  
“. . .Yeah, I guess. Wait, then why haven’t you asked Yoongi-hyung out?”  
“He likes Jimin.”  
“Did he tell you that?”  
“Ugh, you young boys and that question.” Hoseok sighed. “No. But he looks at him-”  
“No, that’s the way he looks at everyone. But mostly you.”  
“If I ask Jin, will the conversation go this way too?” Hoseok mused.   
“Hmm?”  
“Nothing. Let’s go back inside and try to figure out where our fearless leader has fled to. Away!”


	22. Showers and Plans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Taehyung sighed to himself as he turned on the hot water and sat down under the stream of water falling on him.  
> He didn’t feel like standing at the very moment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CHRIST GUYS I AM SO SORRY   
> this chapter was supposed to post LAST NIGHT but APPARENTLY it Just Didn't Feel Like It.   
> HOWEVER NOW IT IS HERE SO  
> CONFETTI

Taehyung sighed to himself as he turned on the hot water and sat down under the stream of water falling on him.  
He didn’t feel like standing at the very moment.  
He felt something normal now with the nearly scalding water rolling down his back and his chest, pooling where his legs sat on the floor of the shower and prevented it from entering the drain. The hard pressure of the water square between his shoulder blades made him sigh in contentment. It stung a little, but he was grateful for the small bite.  
It anchored him to the moment.  
His mind felt like it threatened to float away, to surrender control of his body to an unknown third party just to get some rest. It was the middle of the day now. He supposed he might be tired because of a shifted sleep schedule. Still, he’d rather sleep at night than midday. He wasn’t Yoongi.  
. . . Was Yoongi a vampire, or just moody in that way he was?  
He’d been like that since before their debut, sleeping at odd hours and replying snarkily to anything and everything.  
So either Yoongi had been a vampire for a very long time, or he was just that way.  
Gee, Taehyung, he thought, that sure narrows it down. Maybe he should just ask be about it. No, no, he dismissed that thought. Then if Yoongi was just like that he’d expose himself as a vampire.  
What a surreal thought to think.  
Keeping a secret was unlike him enough, but being an undead consumer of blood was a little. . . extreme. And important. He sighed, running his hands through his now-soaked hair. This was overly stressful. He wondered if alcohol still worked on vampires. He hadn’t ever been one to drink his problems, but it would be ideal to forget about the day for just a little while. His tongue didn’t get loose when he drank, he was sure of that. And if Hoseok could keep his vampire secret through years of getting terribly smashed and being amazingly loose-tongued and bad at keeping secrets, Taehyung was pretty sure he’d survive one night of drinking without spilling his guts completely.  
He finally stood up, using the wall to support himself as he began actually washing his face, removing the blood from the corners of his mouth and the grease from his hair. It didn’t take him all that long. Would’ve taken him far less time if he’d stopped spacing out over and over and over again.  
But, he stepped out of the shower, threw on his bathrobe which he’d rescued from his mess of a room. He’d have to pick it up later and repair the damages he caused while turning. It felt so casual now. Was that a thing with vampires, or was there just a serious issue with Taehyung’s brain?  
“Taehyung?” Jungkook asked after him when he was almost safely in his room.  
“. . . Yeah, Kook?”  
“Do you uh. . . maybe wanna hang out? I really missed you. I know that sounded stupid. I just thought we might play Overwatch together-”  
“You want to come get a drink with me? I. . . I really need it tonight, honestly.” Taehyung laughed shyly.  
“Okay. As long as we get to talk.”  
“It’s a little overdue, yeah.”

 

Taehyung tugged a face mask over his nose under the nice clothes he’d thrown on. He wouldn’t be seen going out somewhere with minimal attention to fashion detail. Jungkook knocked on the door, backing up as Taehyung walked out.  
“Oh, were we dressing up?”  
“No, I just felt like it.”  
“Of course you did.”  
“The hell is that supposed to mean?”  
The banter only continued as they walked out the door to sneak away. 

 

Taehyung sipped at his cup of whatever he’d ordered, laughing as Jungkook joked at him. Hoseok hadn’t lied to him. It was easy to fall into old, human tendencies.  
And, as he’d found out for science, alcohol still worked on vampires, thank the lord.  
He didn’t know how much he’’d drank, but as Jungkook wasn’t imploring him to stop, he felt compelled to keep going. If he could remember Hoseok’s advice, he wasn’t drunk enough.  
“Taehyungie?”  
Shit.  
“Yes?” He looked up in response. He was a lot drunker than he thought he was.  
“Are you really alright? I-I wasn’t going to say anything, but you’re drinking. . . a lot.”  
Shit again.  
This time with feeling.  
“Wanna know the truth?” He asked, slurring and smiling mischievously at Jungkook.  
“It’s- it’s why I asked, hyung.”  
“I jumped out th window cause I was turnin’ into a vampire, n’then Hoseokie brought me a guy to eat and brought me to his secret vampire base, where they steal blood from the red cross to feed their soldiers, and I threw up blood and Hoseokie had t’ use a big syringe to get the rest out of me ‘n I can’t wear my necklace anymore cause it’s silver and I’m allergic to jesus and silver now.” Taehyung hiccupped all through his little rant, and Jungkook only frowned after he was done.  
“Hyung, be serious. I just need to know if you’re alright.  
“Not really. Throwing up bloood was like, reaaaally shitty And finding out that Hoseokie-hyung is a vampire sucked a bit too. Oh. Hey. Sucked. Haha.” He giggled drunkenly. He knew Jungkook wouldn’t believe him about the vampires. He just hoped it’d de-escalated the situation.  
He hiccupped again.  
“Hyung, please be serious. I’m concerned.”  
“I know you’re concerned. I’m trying to make you. . . less concerned. You shouldn’t be. ‘M okay, really.”  
“Being okay doesn’t push you to drink that much. You don’t drink, Taehyung. You never drank that much at company dinners. Suddenly, you’ve drank more than Jimin-hyung has in his life-”  
“Jimin-hyung isn’t that alcoholic.”  
“I know, but still.”  
“You’re drinking, too.”  
“I know. But you’ve drank a hell of a lot more than me.”  
“Not my fault.”  
“Hyung, just let me be concerned about you. And stop giving me reasons to.” Jungkook frowned.  
“Jungkook, have I ever told you-” Taehyung hiccuped- “you’re like, really pretty.”  
“Hyung-”  
“No no no no no, shh.” Taehyung reached acrost the table to press a finger to Jungkook’s lips, missing and pressing his cheek instead. Shuffling his finger over, he giggled. “I mean, like pretty all the time. Even if I can’t see you.”  
“That makes no sense, hyung.” Jungkook mumbled through the side of his mouth.  
“Like, over the phone, your voice is really pretty, and when I think of you it’s really pretty too. You make me feeeel. . . like. . .small. But I’m tall. ‘M not that small at all.” Taehyung waved his hands slowly and randomly, trying to explain with hand gestures. The words that fell out of his mouth didn’t describe what Taehyung wanted him to, which was frustrating him.  
“Taehyungie, you’re drunk. We should leave.”  
“No, if we go back we have to share the house with the guuuuuuuuys. . . . I don’t wanna hang with them. I wanna hang out with you.” Taehyung pouted.  
“Hyung, please.”  
“Jungkookie, you’re just the best. I don’t think I say that enough. You’re the best. And everything about you is awesome.” Taehyung slurred, slumping down on the table.  
“You should stop talking.” Jungkook stated abruptly and sat up rigidly in his chair.  
“Why? You don’t like bein’ the best, kookie??”  
“I don’t like where this is going.”  
“Why not, though?” Taehyung whined.  
“Because I’m not having this discussion with you when you’re drunk! Maybe tomorrow when you have a killer-ass headache.” Jungkook added, muttering under his breath.  
“It’s the only time I don’t have crippling inhibitions in my way, Kookie, why can’t you let me have this?”


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Tae, please.”   
> “No. I wanna say something.”  
> “Fine, say it then. Then we go home.”  
> “I’m not straight. Like. At all.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Getting drunk to avoid emotionally traumas runs in the family.   
> Taehyung gets his from his mom, Jin.

“Tae, please.” Jungkook pleaded once more.   
“No. I wanna say something.”  
“Fine, say it then. Then we go home.”  
“I’m not straight. Like. At all.” Taehyung slurred. A vague wave of nerves tugged at him, the back of his throat and deep in his stomach somewhere, but it was too late. It was out, he’d said it.  
“Duh.” Jungkook scoffed.   
“What about you?” Taehyung slurred, picking his head up.  
“Oh. I don’t know.”  
“Straight or no, Kookkook?”  
“That’s a new nickname.”  
“Don’t change the subject. Straight or crooked. You don’t need a label. I’m bi. Probably.”   
“. . .Crooked.”  
“Oh yay! We’re both gay!”  
“Thought you said bi?”  
“No no no, I’m bi, but like. . . I’m gay as hell.”  
“Taehyung, that makes no sense.”  
“Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Sh.”  
“You do a lot of shushing when you’re drunk.”  
“Shhh.”  
“Whatever, you said your thing, can we go back to the dorm? I’m scared for you. I don’t want you out for much longer.”  
“Why are you scared, Kook?” Taehyung tilted his head, lazily falling onto his other arm.   
“You were missing, and now you came back, got into the middle of an argument, and now you’re drunk off your ass. That’s not healthy, hyung.”  
“You shouldn’t be scared because of that. This’ll pass. Or it won’t, and my career will decline and I’ll be booted from the band and left to be forgotten into the annals of brief musical history.” Taehyung spaced out after completing his sentence, his jaw going slack. He was sleepy now, the alcohol in his system now leaving him with no energy.  
“See, this is why I’m concerned.”  
“It was a joke, Kookie. Don’t get all serious, it’s not that bad. I’m learning to live with it already.” Taehyung waved a hand and reached for his glass. Jungkook snatched it out of reach and slammed the stinging half glass of what was left down his throat, staring into Taehyung’s eyes definitely as he struggled to keep a straight face. Taehyung’s face turned comically into a mixture of horror and betrayal as Jungkook fought the bitter face from the burning liquid.   
“What the hell?!”  
“How did you drink so much of this shit?” Jungkook rasped, downing a few sips of the water he’d ordered to space out the light drinks he’d been nursing.   
“Why would you do that?” Taehyung whined.   
“You don’t need anymore. You’re gonna be sick tomorrow.” Jungkook scolded him, regretting his actions.   
He knew he’d also hate himself tomorrow, for downing the strong alcohol.   
But he felt like Tae needed the intervention, and he didn’t want Taehyung to try and wrestle him over the glass. So, he thought on his feet and slammed it instead.   
Bad, bad decisions.   
He needed to work on that more.   
“You are too!” Taehyung pouted.   
“Not as bad as you. And I’m not taking care of you.” Jungkook huffed.   
“YOu keep talking like you’re older. ‘S not how this works.”  
“Stop acting like a little kid then, HYUNG.” Jungkook snapped.   
“That’s rude, Jungkookie.”   
“I know.”  
“You shouldn’t be rude to me. I’m older.”  
“I think the situation calls for it.”   
“Or you could be nice to me.”   
“Taehyung, until you tell me what’s happening with you, I’ll not change.” Jungkook folded his arms, delivering his ultimatum.  
“You’re going to wear the same clothes until I tell you what’s up?”  
“No- that’s- that’s not what I meant, Tae-”  
“That’s kinda gross, Kookie.”  
“I didn’t mean it that way, Taehyung!”  
“I mean, if you need clothes, we can go shopping, I’ll help you pick some stuff out.” Taehyung offered, putting his head on his palm and his elbow on the table.   
“I’ll stop being rude to you when you come clean about what happened.” Jungkook snapped.   
“I don’t see what this has to do with clothes shopping,” Taehyung frowned.   
“We’re not talking about clothes!”  
“But we were??”  
“Were not.”  
“Were too.’  
“Were not.”   
“Were t- oh, it’s Jinnie-hyung.” Taehyung looked down at his buzzing phone. He tapped the ignore button. “Were too.”  
“Taehyung what the fuck?! Why did you hang up on Jin-hyung?!” Jungkook asked.   
“We were having a moment.”   
The phone began ringing again, and this time Jungkook snatched the phone and answered it.   
“WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU BRATS?!” Jin’s anger made Jungkook flinch from the phone.  
“Uhhh, bar.” Jungkook mumbled.   
“WHY IN THE FUCK WOULDN’T YOU TElL ANYONE YOU WERE GOING ANYWHERE?”  
“Uhhhhhhhhhh. . . we didn’t want party crashers?”  
“Wait wait wait. . . Did you finally ask Taehyung out?” Jin’s voice suddenly went normal, and Jungkook sighed in relief.  
“No. Not really.”  
“WHY NOT?”  
“P-please stop yelling.”  
“You two seriously need to just talk shit out.” Jin huffed.   
“Jin, that’s- you need to stop drinking-” Jungkook faintly heard Jimin’s voice over the phone.   
“No no, it’s fine! Just let me talk to Jungkook, it’s fine.”  
“Hyung, give me the phone. Hi, Taehyung, it’s Jiminie.” Jimin’s voice came over the phone.   
“I’m uh. I’m actually Jungkook.”  
“Oh. Hi Jungkookie. It’s me.”   
“Hi Jiminie.”  
“Okay so Jin has decided to drown his heartbreak about Namjoon-” There was a pause, and suddenly Jimin’s voice was hissing and quiet over the receiver- “blocking his number for 24 hours. So he’s uh, he’s drinking a little. . .a lot, and Hoseokie and I are trying to get him to calm down. He’s taking Namjoon’s actions a little bad. It would be easier with you guys here.”  
“Tae won’t be like, any help. He’s really really drunk. And i think I’m gonna get really bad in a short amount of time. I kinda slammed a bunch of alcohol to stop Tae from drinking more. And you know how low my tolerance is at this point.” Jungkook cast a regretful glance to the glass on the table.   
“That sounds so funny, what the hell?” Jimin laughed.   
“It’s actually kinda the worst. I don’t know what he was drinking, but it tasted like shit.”   
“You want me to send you guys a cab?”  
“No, I’ve got it. Thanks.”  
“Ffffffine.”   
“You can hang up on me now.”  
“Cool. Please come home soon.”  
“We will.”  
“Okay bye.”  
“Bye.”  
Jungkook sighed as the line went dead and he put the phone down to see Taehyung asleep on the table, snoring peacefully. Jungkook smiled softly and stood up, walking over Taehyung’s side, leaning down to put his lips to Taehyung’s head.   
Taehyung shifted, and Jungkook panicked. His face was inches from Taehyung’s head. How was he supposed to explain that?  
Jungkook blew in taehyung’s ears, jerking him awake. Jungkook laughed as Taehyung shot bolt upright.   
“BRAT!” Taehyung exclaimed, covering his ear with a hand. “THAT SCARED ME!”   
“It’s what you deserve.”  
“You’re an asshole.” Taehyung grumbled.   
“I am not. I’m just mischievous.” Jungkook smiled.   
“Shut the fuck up.”


	24. Red Like Wine/ Red Like Blood

Jungkook supported Taehyung, who was falling asleep on his feet, as they walked up the stairs into the apartment, where Jungkook could begin to hear loud fighting as his head swam. He winced, trying to bring himself a little bit of soberness and peace. Tensions were now always high in the dorm, and he was wishing he was back at the bar with Taehyung. Things were easier there, aside from his very drunk best friend.   
“YOU NEED TO STOP DISAPPEARING.” Came Jin’s desperate yell, muffled by the door but intelligible.   
‘You don’t get it-” Namjoon’s answer began, but Jin cut him off.   
“No, I fucking DON’T. Enlighten me, asshole. Why the fuck do you just go away for days at a time? Why did you BLOCK MY NUMBER with no text or- or anything? Why do you REFUSE TO COME CLEAN?!”  
“Jin-”  
“Is it drugs? Is it a girl? What the hell is so fucking important that you feel the need to disappear for so long? Can’t you trust us?”  
“Jin-”  
“Can’t you trust ME?”   
By now, Jungkook heard tears in his voice. Jungkook opened the door to see a sobbing Jin, wine bottle in hand as he had been staring, accusatory, at the very guilty looking Namjoon acrost the kitchen. Jin snapped his attention to Jungkook and Taehyung in the doorway.   
“Hiiiiiiii hyuuuungs,” Taehyung slurred, smiling as if nothing were wrong with the world.   
“Hi Tae.” Namjoon waved.   
“You’re not off the hook because of them!” jin pointed out.   
“Wassgoinon? You guys were shouting, wha happened?” Taehyung beamed.   
“Little disagreement, that’s all. Jungkook, could you get him to bed, please?” Namjoon turned his head to poor Jungkook, who looked dazed. He’d receded into his own swimming mind, continuing to wrestle with the alcohol in his brain.   
“Kooooooooooooookie. . .” Taehyung cooed, poking at Jungkook’s face and bringing him to the Earth once more.   
“Hmmmm?” Jungkook looked up at Namjoon.   
“Can you get Taehyung to bed? Make sure he’s on his side, please.” Namjoon smiled, but Jungkook could tell, even with his head arguing with him the way it was, that Namjoon was exhausted in a deep way Jungkook couldn’t even quite understand.   
“Uh, yeah. Sure. C’mon, Tae.” Jungkook nodded. He nudged Taehyung and he stumbled forward, not bothering to remove his shoes as they struggled over the threshold to go to Jungkook’s room, between the two older men with the air thick with anger and things left unsaid.  
Namjoon looked into Jin’s red eyes after the younger boys left.   
“Someday I’ll tell you, but I can’t right now. It’s important that it stays a secret.” Namjoon apologised softly, but it only made Jin angrier.  
“What is that supposed to mean? Why can’t you tell me?”  
“You’ll be in danger.”  
“BUll fucking shit I’ll be in danger, Namjoon. If it’s girl, just tell me, I won’t cry about her. I’m sure she’s all lovely and shit. And she’s super lucky and pretty and I’ll hate that I want to like her and probably doesn’t even need makeup cause she’s that cool. She can match your stupid bullshit brain, probably. Understand you at three in the morning and- and. . .” Jin hiccuped and sobbed again, sinking to the floor. “I wish I could be a cool person like that.” He whined.   
“Jin, you- you are that kind of person.” Namjoon took a step towards the collapsed man, cautious in case he was going to have another outburst.   
“Then why can’t you seem to see me like one?” He hiccupped.   
“What?”  
“Nothing, god damn it. I’m so drunk.” JIn rubbed at his eyes.   
“Are you getting jealous of a girl you made up in your head, Jin?”  
“No. She’s probably real. ‘S no way you’re single the way you are. ‘S not how just works.” Jin shook his head.   
“Then why are you single?”  
“I’m an idiot.”  
“Why are you an idiot?”  
“Thought I had a chance with him.”  
“Wait, wait, wait. Him?”  
“Yeah. H-. . . him.” Jin choked.   
“As in, a guy?”  
“No, Namjoon. Him as in a girl.” Jin snapped.   
‘“Wanna tell me about him?”  
“He’s an asshole. But I can’t not. . .ugh.” Jin growled. “He’s so stupid, but he’s smart, but he has issues opening up to his family and they’re concerned and they just want him to not take charge and feel like he’s the only man capable enough to do it all for them. He’s capable but he’s always stressed and I just want to reach out to him but he just keeps fucking shutting me down over and over again and god damn it Namjoon why won’t you just let me know what’s going on with you so I can HELP you?!” Jin cried, now clinging to Namjoon and crying into his shoulder as Namjoon sat there dumbly.   
Jin smelled of too much alcohol, salty tears and that scent of being distraught that was so distinctive.   
And O type blood coursing through a neck so near to Namjoon’s wickedly sharp teeth.


	25. Gee, Thanks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's short tonight oops

Namjoon pressed his teeth into his lips, hoping to get them to retract. He wouldn’t get nearly anything out of this, nothing, he told himself. He had been fed that night,he didn’t need to take from the flesh of his best friend, who was sobbing on his shoulder.   
And-- Wait, did Jin just confess?  
“Wait wait wait, backtrack?” Namjoon asked, frowning.   
“I forgot what I said,” Jin sniffed.   
“Something about your. . . “him,”?”  
“He’s thickheaded and I hate him.” Jin hiccupped.   
“But?”  
“But I wish I could actually tell him something without ruining everything.” Jin tucked his nose closer into Namjoon’s shoulder.  
“I’m sure it wouldn’t change that much.” Namjoon’s speech was impaired by the sharp teeth poking into his lip. He wasn’t worried due to his friend’s incredibly heightened state, but it would be a hell of an issue if somebody walked in.   
“It would, though. And he’s all thickheaded and I’m too stupid and shy and stupid to be blunt.” JIn slurred.   
“You said stupid twice.”  
“I know that! I think. Wait, what? I don’t care.” Jin shook his head. “Ohhh, should not have done that. Dizzy. Dizzy, now.” Jin shoved his face into Namjoon’s chest this time, trying to ground himself. Namjoon’s teeth finally retracted, and Namjoon sighed relief.   
“Easy, Jin.” Namjoon purred, rubbing his back.   
“Stop being nice to me,” Jin whined, grasping at the fabric of Namjoon’s cotton t shirt.   
“Why?”  
“Give me false hope. Oh fuck, I’m gonna throw up.” Jin gagged, putting hands over his mouth. Namjoon scrambled for the trashcan and tugged it over to Jin. Jin grasped it with white knuckles, hunching over it and retching painfully. Namjoon rubbed circles in Jin’s back as he coughed up the dismal amount of food in his system.  
“There’s hardly even anything to be coughed up,: Namjoon frowned. “Did you not even eat?”   
“Not rea-ugh, oh fuck,” Jin coughed up more bile.   
“And then you drank all that wine?” Namjoon scolded. “Jin, you know you shouldn’t drink on an empty stomach.”  
“I know, I was just worried about him. You. Fuck. Ugh, I’m a mess.” Jin wiped at his eyes and took the offered napkins from Namjoon, who stayed quiet. “I’m sorry.” He added.   
“You can’t apologize for this. It’s my fault.”   
“I know that.” jin blanched. “But I’m being a pain now.”   
“You’re a pain all the time, it’s fine.”  
“Gee. Thanks.”


	26. Selfish, Selfish, Selfish. . .

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Did that mean something?  
> Probably. Maybe. No? No, probably not, actually. Jungkook tilted his head. This emotional twister game. . .no, he thought, stupid metaphor. Accurate, but stupid.

Namjoon sat in the kitchen, on the floor, with Seokjin, who was hugging the trashcan, too drunk to even really speak. Jin hiccupped through nonsense, sobbing as he spoke in circles. Namjoon tried to decipher at first, but no matter how many languages he learned, he could never learn Conversational Drunken Seokjin. However, he found out that nodding and making monosyllabic answers sated the poor bastard as he spilled his heart onto the dirty floor of their kitchen next to the very person it all belonged to. 

JIn was frustrated. The words came out in confusing tangles, no matter how much he tried to tell Namjoon what was there, no matter how hard Jin tried to comb through the knots of the heartstrings he tried to sort out and lay out on the floor, they only became worse knots and worried with his stomach, pulling up foul bile.He tried so hard to show Namjoon was in his heart, that special part of it he’d locked every bit of longing inside. That special piece of his heart that was full of Namjoon’s smiles and kind words, the hugs and the small gestures that meant more than they appeared, and the feelings Jin had fought to keep unsaid.   
Now, no matter how desperate he was to say it, it wouldn’t come out right. He wanted it to sound correct, to be a little bit more poetic than stumbling over his own tongue. Namjoon deserved a better confession than that, but Jin knew he couldn’t ever do it sober, so he ended up crying more.   
“I fucking hate alcohol.” He hiccupped.   
“I know, Jinnie.”  
“Why- why did you let me drink it?” He leaned back into Namjoon. He was so warm.  
“I wasn’t here, Jinnie.”  
“Oh. Why not?”   
“I was busy.”  
“. . . You blocked my number. Why?” Jin recalled.   
“I needed quiet.”  
“Why not silence your phone instead?”  
“I made a mistake. I lost my temper.”Namjoon sighed. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t’ve.”  
“Apology accepted. I can be really, really loud n annoying sometimes.”  
“Never.” Namjoon frowned, earnest. “You’re not annoying. Loud, yeah. Not annoying. Never annoying.”  
“Aww! Joonie.” Jin purred, and relaxed his full weight on Namjoon. “If I fall asleep now. . .” Jin slurred, his eyes begging him to sleep. “‘Llyou carry me to bed? ‘N can we talk tomorrow? I wanna talk to you when I’m sober.”   
“Of course, Jinnie. You wanna get up now?” He asked, but Jin was already asleep, his pouting lips falling open.   
It wasn’t graceful, but to Namjoon, Jin could never be anything less than stunning.

 

Jungkook sighed, rubbing his eyelids. He wasn’t tired. And this was the second time in recent days that he’d had Taehyung in his bed after he was unable to make it to his own.   
Did that mean something?  
Probably. Maybe. No? No, probably not, actually. Jungkook tilted his head. This emotional twister game. . .no, he thought, stupid metaphor. Accurate, but stupid.   
Bad metaphors aside, he didn’t like that he didn’t know what to think. Logically, it was the alcohol, but he couldn’t help but despair on the thought that maybe it’d be this unclear when he woke up tomorrow.   
Taehyung was passed out, cuddling a spare pillow and being held up by another. Jungkook placed him so he’d be comfortable, and so that he could crawl on the bed himself. Taehyung laid facing Jungkook.   
Jungkook might’ve done that on purpose.   
His eyes took in Taehyung’s reddened cheeks and nose, the pale hair falling into his face, the way his chest rose and fell. It wasn’t a desire of Jungkook to do any explicit actions, rather than indulge himself in the sight of something so gorgeous to him. To Jungkook, Taehyung was akin to a far away star. So, so beautiful, but Jungkook would never truly be able to touch him. Jungkook could lay his hands on Taehyung, but it wouldn’t mean anything. Jungkook wanted to place his hands on Taehyung’s cheeks and take in his eyes for hours, Jungkook wanted to draw patterns on his skin lazily, Jungkook wanted to straighten out his hair with careful fingers. Jungkook wanted to touch him in the ways that meant something, goddamnit, not just “two bros in a hot tub” ways.   
Chilling in the same goddamn bed because Jungkook was so, so very gay.   
Jungkook knew how selfish it was to do this. He knew, and yet he found himself not caring as he listened to Taehyung’s vague snores and the heavy breathing of Jimin in a deep sleep in the other half of the room. Hoseok had gone somewhere, mentioned a friend’s place briefly. Jungkook sighed, and got comfortable again. Jin’s loud and drunken sobs had faded into a quiet murmuring, his higher tones mixing with the gentle deep ones of Namjoon as they talked, until Jungkook listened to Namjoon’s heavy and yet so gentle footsteps going down the hall into Jin’s room, a murmured conversation between Namjoon and Yoongi transpiring before Namjoon walked back up the hallway and flicked off the lights in the kitchen.   
Jungkook watched as the light sliding under the doorcrack went dark with a terrifying silence and finality. 

 

 

“Namjoon?” Jin croaked. Light streamed through the window, waking Jin begrudgingly from the deep sleep he’d been in.   
No answer came, and for some reason, Jin felt sad.   
He looked around, feeling the need to verify he was in his room. He was, and it was empty. No Yoongi judging him in the corner. No intruding younger boys. Just Seokjin and his thoughts.   
He sat up to find his bed made- he’d been tucked in-, his phone plugged in, and a glass of water with asprin next to it on the table. He smiled, glad to feel he was cared for.   
He knew that, but it still always came as a relief to get validation. He sat up straighter, pulling himself to put his back to the headboard to regret this action near immediately. His head swam, and his eyes hurt, and he felt about to throw up, though he knew he wouldn’t. A dull headache began pulsing in his skull, and his neck was sore. He rubbed it and winced. It felt bruised.   
How the hell had he managed that?  
He took the asprin and made a vague choking noise at how disgusting he felt.   
“That great, huh?” Yoongi’s voice asked him, and Jin shrieked.   
“You were not there five seconds ago!” he pressed a hand to his chest as he laid eyes on Yoongi, judging him from the corner.   
“I was. You must be really hungover, hyung.” Yoongi deadpanned.   
“I looked over there earlier and there wasn’t shit for shit there!”  
“Well, I’m sure here now.”   
“You’re not shit, I didn’t mean it that way-”  
“Sure, and I’m straight.” Yoongi snorted.   
“Well, good chat. I’m going to go be other places now and steel myself for dance practice later.   
“Cancelled. In light of recent events.”   
“Oh. Well. I’ll steel myself for other things then.”  
“Like?”  
“Finding out exactly what happened last night.”   
“Oh. Yeah, probably a fun story to hear.”   
“Now I’m afraid. Wonderous. Thanks, Yoongi-ssi.”   
“No problem, hyung.”


	27. Hangover

Jin leaned lazily on the wall so he’d not have to rely on his own two legs, instinctively wandering into the kitchen. Schedule was schedule.  
“Hi, Namjoon-ssi.” Jin yawned as he walked in the room, seeing the man pouring himself cereal.  
“Good morning, Jin.” Namjoon smiled over his shoulder. “Sleep well?”  
“Fuuuuuck no I didn’t.” Jin huffed. “I hurt so much.”  
“I mean, whole bottle of wine and a half. . .”  
“I drank that much?!” Jin gasped.  
“What do you actually remember of last night?” Namjoon avoided the question.  
“I remember being upset for most of the evening. I might’ve thrown up. Not sure.”Jin wandered over the the fridge, opening it and leaning on the door as he raked his eyes over the leftovers to see if he actually wanted anything.  
“You yelled at me for an hour or so, then you got all sad and cried for a while. And you did throw up. A few times.” Namjoon informed him.  
“You probably deserved it,” Jin grumbled. His eyes remained trained on the contents of the fridge that he knew he didn’t want right now. He was hungry, but he wasn’t hungry. Curse hangovers.  
“So you’re telling ME,” Jimin’s voice voiced down the hallway, “that you two DIDN’T sleep together. AGAIN.”  
“I’m telling you to shush, Taehyung’s going to wake up-”  
“I’m already awake, Jungkook.”  
“Shh! I’m busy.”  
“Brat,” Taehyung croaked back.  
“Anyways, no, we didn’t sleep together. We don’t do that. I wouldn’t with you in the room, either. So there.” Jungkook stuck his tongue out at Jimin.  
“But if I wasn’t in here?”  
“Taehyung was drunk. I wouldn’t take advantage of him like that. If I was interested,” He added hastily as Jimin grew a smirk on his face.  
“Ah ah, Jungkook-ah, don’t play like that. You would’ve if he was sober, wouldn’t you?”  
“Jimin, hey, hey Jiminnie.” Taehyung croaked, and sat up. “Jiminie! Jiminieeeee.”  
“What, Tae?”  
“Question.”  
“Answer.”  
“What the fuck?”  
“You wound me. I thought you said-”  
“I don’t say anything, ever.”  
“Hyung, you’re saying things right now.”  
“Never in my entire life,” Taehyung reaffirmed.  
“Alien.” Jungkook threw back.  
“Bunny.” Taehyung smiled.  
“Gross. Both of you.” Jimin huffed. “I’m going to go do something that’s not listening to you two verbally fuck.”  
“Have fun with that,” Taehyung called after his friend as he left the room.  
“We do NOT- ugh, he’s gone.”  
“You two are so loud.” Yoongi huffed, appearing the doorway.  
“Sorry, hyung.”  
“Don’t care. Where’s Hoseokie, I wanna talk to him.”  
“Hell if I know, hyung. You know he does that a lot.”  
“Tits. Okay, well. If you see him. . .”  
“I’ll tell him you’re looking for him. Yup.” Jungkook did all the talking as Taehyung stared into the distance, frowning. He knew where Hoseok was. He was pretty sure, actually. The warehouse, he might’ve fallen asleep there or. . .  
“Oh, hi Yoongi-hyung.” Hoseok’s voice echoed in the small hallway.  
“Hey Hoseok.”  
“Hoseok, Yoongi-hyung wanted to talk to you. You should go find him.” Jungkook offered helpfully, earning a hearty glare.  
“Ok.” Hoseok turned to Yoongi. “Hyung, Jungkook said you were looking for me?”  
“Suck a dick. That is all.” Yoongi pivoted on his heel and walked back to his room.  
“Awwww.” Hoseok pouted. “Can’t say I didn’t expect that, but I guess I was hoping for something nice.”  
“Cry me a river, get in your douche canoe, and float the fuck away.” Yoongi yelled down the hallway.  
“That’s a new one.” Hoseok shouted back.  
“Fuck you.”  
“Most people want to.”  
“Not me.”  
“Jungkook, we all know you’d rather fuck Taehyung-”  
“WHY DOES EVERYONE WANT US TO FUCK? Sorry, Tae.” Jungkook turned to a wincing Taehyung, who was holding his head.  
“Because everyone knows you want to except for you two.” Hoseok pointed out.  
“Right now I want something to make my headache go away.” Taehyung croaked.  
“I’ll get something.” Jungkook volunteered to leave the room, ducking past Hoseok and speedwalking away.  
“So. . . I’m assuming last night went well.”  
“I probably cried. I’m such a lightweight.” Taehyung sighed.  
“Are you coming with me tonight?” Hoseok wandered into the room and sat on his own bed, crossing his legs. Taehyung wondered how often that bed went unused, and for just how long.  
“To where?” He tilted his head.  
“You know where, don’t play dumb.” Hoseok rolled his eyes.  
“No seriously, where?” Taehyung frowned.  
“The warehouse, numbnuts.” Hoseok hissed.  
“Oooooooh. Do I have to?”  
“Aren’t you getting hungry yet?”  
“I’m more nauseous than hungry, really.” Taehyung shrugged.  
“Oh yeah, hangover.” Hoseok nodded once in recognition.  
“Yeah.” Taehyung nodded back.  
“Well, Tae, I think you should come anyways. You still have some stuff to figure out. You’ll be excused from a lot since you aren’t supposed to be there, but you should come anyways. It’s important.”  
“Okay. Come get me when it’s time.” Taehyung hummed, picking at his thumbnail.  
“How about I text you?” Hoseok suggested. If Namjoon was around, he didn’t want to wake him up.  
“Okay, that works too.”  
“Christ, Namjoon and Jin hyungs are almost on top of eachother out there.” Jungkook groaned as he walked into the room with a cup of water and medicine in hand.  
Jungkook tried to ignore the sinking feeling in his stomach from what he’d overheard.


	28. Space, Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Have you ever felt an emotional blow so deep that it makes you a little dizzy? Or maybe it pulls at your stomach so hard it makes you feel sick? You know how stress can cause headaches, anxiety can cause shaking and stomach pain? 
> 
>  
> 
> AKA  
> In which shit goes down and also shit goes. . . down

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I didn't meet my normal 1000 word min.. I'm kind of out of writing for the night, I did three ELA projects tonight and my creative writing points need a day to recharge. HOWEVER this is a Big Movement Forward chapter, so it's very Dynamic in it's Shortness (like meeeeeeee) anyways I might be high right now idk

“I hope they’re going to figure out what their thing is.” Hoseok huffed.  
“Yeah.” Jungkook scoffed, smiling. He began to cross the room, but stumbled, tripping over his own feet.  
Have you ever felt an emotional blow so deep that it makes you a little dizzy? Or maybe it pulls at your stomach so hard it makes you feel sick? You know how stress can cause headaches, anxiety can cause shaking and stomach pain?  
Jungkook shivered as he stood back up, not having the energy to laugh off the fall.  
“Are you okay, dude?” Hoseok frowned.  
“Yeah, Kookie, are you. . .?”  
“Fine.” He forced out. The lie was so unconvincing, but it was a feat to push it out.  
“No, really.” Taehyung stood up, wobbling a little to walk over to him.  
Taehyung’s helping hands were knocked gently away.  
“I’m going to go for a walk.” Jungkook said, standing up and handing Taehyung the waterbottle and small cup of headache medicine. Before Taehyung could ask for an explanation, Jungkook had left the room, grabbing a hoodie from the hook hear the door and stuffing his feet in slip on shoes.  
He needed some space. Preferably for a long, long time. 

“Yoongi-hyung?” Hoseok poked his head into Yoongi’s room, surprisingly the man sitting, cross-legged, on the bed.  
“What?” He asked, trading a pleasantly surprised face into a neutral one.  
“I don’t know.” Hoseok shrugged, quick to walk into the room and sit on Yoongi’s bed. “I just felt like invading your personal space.”  
“Mission accomplished.” Yoongi deadpanned in response.  
“Yeah.” Hoseok leaned against the hall, staring at the ceiling. A long moment of silence followed, Yoongi’s fingers hitting the keys on his laptop with minimal pauses to -lay out what he’d say next.  
“What if. . . you might’’ve screwed something up for yourself. . . even though you tried really really hard? But no matter how hard you try, it just seems to fall flat?” Hoseok asked.  
“Where’s this coming from?” Yoongi frowned, putting a hand on the top of the laptop.  
“Does it matter?”  
“A little. If it’s something i can help with. . .” he trailed off.  
“I don’t know.” He confessed. “I don’t know, I just feel like I’ve fucked something up recently.” He smiled without humor at Yoongi. “Ah, I know I’m probably just bothersome.”  
“Shut up and let me care about you.” Yoongi closed the laptop and shoved it off to the side. “Listen, whatever’s troubling you will pass. I’ll be around to help. And I’m scary as hell, I’ll just scare your misfortune away.”  
“You sure?”  
“Yeah.”  
“What if you’re the issue, though? Will you scare yourself away?” Hoseok smiled, but Yoongi blanched and seemed to become smaller.  
“Wh-what did I do?” He whispered. He knew it- he’d pushed someone away the wrong way again. Hoseok was angry with him for being an asshole. Hoseok didn’t want him in the band anymore. He knew it.  
“Oh, shit. I didn’t mean that,” Hoseok’s eyes grew wide with fright as he realized what he said. “That was supposed to be flirty, not-” Hoseok slapped his hands over his face.  
“I am an actual human dumpster fire.”  
“Wait, flirty?!” Yoongi’s voice raised a few octaves.  
“Fuck it. Yeah.” Hoseok stared at the ceiling once more, not wanting to face humiliation.  
“Why? I- Why?” Yoongi’s face turned pink as he tried to work through the mess of anxiety that had turned into butterflies.  
“Why do you think, hyung? I swear, you’re one of the densest humans I’ve met.” Hoseok shook his head.  
“I don’t- follow?”  
“I like you, god damn it.” Hoseok explained, frustrated.  
“I. . . like you too?” Yoongi tilted his head, and Hoseok sighed his frustration. He turned and grabbed Yoongi’s chin, dragging him towards him and placing a kiss on Yoongi’s lips. Yoongi took in a sharp gasp as Hoseok got close, and drew in a new intake of breath as Hoseok’s lips pressed to his own. Yoongi didn’t relax into the kiss- wasn’t that how most love stories described that?- but stayed rigid, his brain racing to catch up with the time all around him.  
Parting was painful for Hoseok, but he drew back and dropped his hand as Yoongi began looking quite like a fish out of water.  
“I-I’m sorry, I shouldn’t’ve-” Hoseok came to his senses, realizing he probably just gave Yoongi some sort of anxiety attack.  
“Again.”  
“Sorry?”  
“D-. . .do that again.”  
“Kiss you?”  
“Yeah. That. Again. Please.”  
“Does that mean-”  
“Shut up, Hoseok.”  
“Okay, geez.


	29. Rain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He really rarely got time or made time to go explore. Time off was hard to come by, and he preferred to spend it doing something else than just walking around the city.  
> Yet, there he was.   
> Walking around the city.

Jungkook pulled his hood down further on his face, feeling around in his pockets for a facemask. The sky turned gray above him and he listened as people near him murmured troubles about rain and the fact that they didn’t have an umbrella, and Jungkook scoffed.   
He knew he was being an ass, but when ones heart is ripped into a million seething pieces, he believed that he’d been released from the obligation to be nice.   
Where would he even go, now? It wasn’t like he had many favored haunts in the city. He really rarely got time or made time to go explore. Time off was hard to come by, and he preferred to spend it doing something else than just walking around the city.  
Yet, there he was.   
Walking around the city.   
The thing about the streets was that there was always a low murmur of noise, and yet, one could still feel silence in the noise, or alone in the crowd. Jungkook wished he felt alone. Alone instead of surrounded by humans. People had no idea what he was going through. They just lead their day to day lives with nine to five jobs and petty dramas and came home and criticized others until they fell asleep to do it all again the very next morning. They had no idea what others went through. It was sickening.   
Maybe sad, but Jungkook wasn’t feeling very kind.  
Hoseok had PROMISED he’d wanted nothing to do with Taehyung. He’d lied through his teeth to Jungkook’s face. He’d asked honestly and received lies. He didn’t understand what he’d done to deserve betrayal. If Hoseok knew then why would he lie like that?   
His anger was fading to let a heavy and overwhelming sadness that coated his body and destroyed his will to walk.   
The skies opened up, beginning to rain as most cliches would have it.   
The humidity caused fog as the droplets descended, and the sheets of rain made it so hard to see.   
Jungkook didn’t hear the car coming.   
The car didn’t know to stop.   
It all happened in one moment, and then suddenly, it all went black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sorry at all.


	30. Brought To You By Screen Protectors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Hello, Mr. Kim. I’m afraid Jeon Jungkook has just arrived in the emergency room downtown-”  
> “Wait, excuse me?” Namjoon stood, frowning.  
> “We checked Mr. Jeon’s emergency contacts and the first one is you. He was involved in a car accident just recently, he is now receiving care.”   
> “Where?” Namjoon rushed into the kitchen, shrugging on a jacket as best he could with his phone in his hands.   
> “Namjoon? What’s going on?” Jin followed just as Namjoon hung up the phone.   
> “Jungkook got hit by a car and the bastard drove off. He’s downtown, hospital. We need to leave now. Get the guys.”

Namjoon picked up his phone as he looked outside to the now clear sky. Odd- it’s just been pouring a moment ago. Jin was pondering the same thought, sitting next to Namjoon on the couch.   
“Hello, Kim Namjoon, how may I help you?”   
He always answered to phone that way. He didn’t look at caller ID ever. It kind of bothered the members, but when confronted, they were met a “What can I say? I’m old fashioned.”  
“Hello, Mr. Kim. I’m afraid Jeon Jungkook has just arrived in the emergency room downtown-”  
“Wait, excuse me?” Namjoon stood, frowning. Jin’s eyes followed him.   
“We checked Mr. Jeon’s emergency contacts and the first one is you. He was involved in a car accident just recently, he is now receiving care.”   
“Where?” Namjoon rushed into the kitchen, shrugging on a jacket as best he could with his phone in his hands.   
“Namjoon? What’s going on?” Jin followed just as Namjoon hung up the phone.   
“Jungkook got hit by a car and the bastard drove off. He’s downtown, hospital. We need to leave now. Get the guys.” Namjoon said, running off to his room to grab his things as Jin tore off to tell everyone. 

 

“Jungkook-ssi?” Taehyung’s voice was the first Jungkook heard as he opened his groggy eyes.   
God, why was he so sore? No, not sore, it hurt more than just sore.  
“Is he awake?” Hoseok whispered.   
“I don’t know, Hoseok, lay off.” Taehyung snapped, and Jungkook’s stomach sank.   
That was right, he was upset with them.   
“What happened?” He grumbled and began to open his eyes, trying to sit up. He winced and stopped his efforts as they began.   
“You got yourself hit by a car.” Yoongi spoke up.  
“Oh. Interesting.”   
“Not interesting, dipshit, we were worried!” Jin moved to smack Jungkook, but, remembering Jungkook’s fragile state, retracted his arm.   
“Yeah, do you know how stressful it is to get a call in the middle of the day saying “Mr. Kim, I’m afraid your dongsaeng has just been in a hit-and-run accident several miles from his home”? I’ll be nice and tell you- very fucking stressful! Very.” Namjoon reiterated.   
“Sorry.” He grumbled.   
“Are you okay?” Jimin asked softly somewhere to Jungkook’s left.  
“Peachy, hyung, never felt better in my life. Ever.” jungkook snarked, opening his eyes all the way. Taehyung had claimed a chair, sitting next to Jungkook and physically restraining himself from draping himself over the injured boy. Namjoon had the second, and all the rest stood, all staring at the boy.   
“Brat.” Jin sniffed.   
“He can’t be too hurt it he can be rude to his hyungs.” Hoseok pointed out optimistically.   
“Gee, thanks Hobi-hyung.” Jungkook replied dryly, avoiding looking at Taehyung and turing his eyes to Yoongi standing with Jimin instead. “So, how fucked up am I?”   
“Doc said you got off really fuckin lucky. You’ll be out in a few days if all goes well.” Yoongi informed him.  
“We brought you overnight things.” Jimin held up a duffle bag.   
“Oh. Thanks.” Jungkook smiled.   
“Don’t thank me, it was Tae’s idea.”  
“Hmm.” Jungkook acknowledged, his smile fading. “‘Chu guys bring me any food by any chance? ‘M hungry.”  
“So needy.”  
“Jimin, he just got run over by a car, let him be needy.” Yoongi kicked lazily at Jimin, who jumped out of his way and laughed.   
“I’ll get it!” Hoseok volunteered.   
“I’ll come with.” Jin followed the bouncing dancer out of the room. Jungkook followed them with his eyes, anger showing as he watch Hoseok’s grin.   
Asshole.  
“What’s wrong?” Taehyung asked.   
“Nothing, Taehyung.” Jungkook returned his eyes to the ceiling. He didn’t want to look Taehyung in the eyes. He wasn’t as angry at Taehyung as he was with Hoseok, but he knew he’d get upset.   
“It’s not nothing.” Taehyung frowned.   
“It’s. Nothing.” Jungkook ground out.   
“He’s allowed to be in a bad mood. He got his by a car.” Jimin pointed out. Jungkook remained silent.   
“He’s angry with Hobi-hyung. I wanna know why.”   
“He’s not angry with Hoseokie. Why would he be angry with Hoseokie?”   
“I don’t know, but he certainly looked really angry with him.”  
“When?!”  
“Just now!”  
“Drop it.” Jungkook huffed, considering going out and getting run over again so that they’d shut up while the sunlight hid behind a cloud. It was highly frustrating to listen to them argue.   
“Please.” Namjoon added. Yoongi was scrolling through his phone again.   
“Is my phone alright?” Jungkook piped up suddenly.”  
“Seriously? That’s what you’re worried about.” Yoongi looked up from his phone.   
“Hell yeah I’m worried about it, I got hit by a car and that damn thing falls out of my pocket if I so much as think of the damn thing.”   
“It’s charging right now.” Jimin pointed out. “It survived the crash, though. Those screen protectors are hella.”   
“I know, right? I keep trying to get Namjoon-hyung to use one but-”  
“I don’t need the damn screen protector. It’s a matter of pride.” Namjoon insisted, pointing at Jungkook and dropping his phone in the process. “Fuck.”  
“See, hyung? Just get a screen protector. They’re not that expensive and they hardly make a difference on the surface of the phone.”   
“Today’s hospital visit has been brought to by Iphone screen protectors.” Yoongi but on his best advertisement voice.   
“Hell yeah it has!” Jungkook laughed, and grimaced at his sore ribs.   
“You okay?” Taehyung asked.   
“I’m fine, seriously. Back off.” Jungkook frowned.   
The sun still hadn’t come out from behind the cloud, and more covered the sky slowly. Namjoon sighed through his nose at the irregular weather today. Normally, it was quite sunny these days, excluding the past few nights.   
“You got hit by a car!”  
“I’m aware, Taehyung! I am VERY aware of the fact that I got hit by a car! What was I gonna do, fucking forget? I’m not THAT stupid.” Jungkook rolled his eyes, leaving Taehyung a little stunned at the younger’s outburst.   
Outside, Namjoon could hear the vague rumble of thunder.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh dear, things seem to be getting,,,,,  
> spooky


	31. Hospital Foods

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the short ass chapter guys I like being dramatic

The room sat silent and awkward from Jungkook’s snap, nobody quite sure what to say. Jungkook felt sorry nearly immediately, but his pride sat in the way of an apology.   
“Are you upset cause you’ll be missing practice?” Jimin asked. He knew that Jungkook hated being out commission and unable to work on anything.   
The thought hadn’t even crossed the young man’s mind, but once Jimin brought it up, he deflated further.   
“Yeah. A little. I was going to go over a piece of choreo with Hoseok-hyung later. Can’t, now.”  
“I’m sure you have it down anyways. I probably need tutoring more.” Namjoon chuckled. Taehyung stayed seated, awkwardly silent.  
“No, hyung, you’re doing really well.” Jungkook frowned. “I think you’ve got this one perfected already.”  
“I’ll bet money I don’t.”   
“I’ll bet money you do.”   
“So how much money do you wanna give me?” Namjoon asked.   
“Depends, how much money do you wanna give me, hyung?” Jungkook grinned at Namjoon.   
He tried not to reflect on the fact that this happiness was just barely covering the pit he’d fall into as soon as he stopped smiling.   
“This is one of your dumb circle argument traps.” Namjoon pointed out.  
“No it’s not.”   
“Yes it is.”  
“Oh my lord, Jungkook, shut the hell up.”  
“I’m wounded.”  
“You got hit by car, of course you’re wounded.” Yoongi interjected.   
“Thanks hyung.” Jungkook frowned faintly at Yoongi.   
“Maybe we should stop mention the c-a-r-” Jimin proposed.   
“Jimin, I can spell, damnit.” Jungkook laughed.   
“You’re like five, shut up.”  
“I could spell car at five.”   
“Could you, though?”  
“I could.”   
“WE RETURN WITH FOOD!” Hoseok yelled, bursting through the door. Taehyung moved to help Jungkook sit up, but Jungkook nudged his hands away and edged himself up slowly.   
He didn’t need Taehyung’s help.  
“What’d ‘cha get?” 

 

 

Taehyung remained silent, moving to the corner unnoticed. Jungkook ate and laughed with the other members, though Taehyung noticed he avoided looking at Hoseok, and avoided looking at Tae’s corner. He wondered what they did wrong. He wondered if he knew.   
Oh jesus, did Jungkook know about the vampire thing? Did he let something slip while drunk? He didn’t remember half of it. Maybe Jungkook was afraid of him and Hoseok now.   
If he was so afraid, why not tell anyone else?  
What if everyone in the group knew?   
Taehyung shivered, his anxiety seeping in quickly. He hated the thought. He hated himself. He hated how the hint of the scent of blood in the air made his stomach grumble and his fangs begin to poke at his gums from where they’d been hidden for god knew how long. He hated that he’d almost killed a man in that alley. He hated that he didn’t have his own human blood coursing through his veins. He hated how cold he felt to the touch. He hated it all. He hated himself.   
And now he was sure that Jungkook hated him too.


	32. The Tea, Hyung!!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “The TEA, hyung! The teeeeea!” Jimin patted at his shoulder.  
> “Nobody says that.”  
> “I do so shut up.”

Namjoon stared out of the car window idly, his eyes glued on the clouds between the buildings of Seoul. Since they’d left the hospital room of their youngest member, it’d begun to rain. Sprinkling, at first, then soon raining lightly, then to a moderate pace. Namjoon wondered, or perhaps worried, if it would get bad. The rumble of angry thunder coming from the distance, just as when Jungkook had snapped at Taehyung, wasn’t a good sign.   
Namjoon had a theory, but lord, he hoped he was incorrect.   
“-and uptown, there have been extensive reports of repeated maimings found in similar locations. Authorities say that no concrete evidence has been revealed, however they believe it to be animals of some kind. How animals capable of such damage could make it all the way into the center of town, we do not know. More to follow.” The radio buzzed in an airy female voice before Jin reached over and turned the volume down as he stared at the road ahead with a firm frown. Namjoon glanced in the rearview mirror to look at Taehyung, who seemed deflated and spaced out, staring at the clouds contemplatively. Something was clearly wrong between him and Jungkook.   
Yoongi sat in the other window seat, but rather than stare out the window, he looked at Hoseok, who’d fallen asleep on his shoulder. Namjoon smiled softly at the sight of his old friend. Namjoon could easily tell that Yoongi’d had a thing for Hoseok for a very long time, even before he started sneaking out at night.   
Namjoon had begun to think that nobody really stayed in the dorm once the sun went down. Taehyung had begun to disappear alongside Hoseok, Yoongi wasn’t often found in his bed during moonlight hours. Jin stayed, and Jungkook stayed, and Jimin only left occasionally. It was nice to know he wasn’t the only person with secrets.   
Namjoon didn’t know everyone’s secrets. He couldn’t pretend to. He only ever had theories that went unconfirmed for years. He knew that Jin had to be normal. Trying his best. He didn’t ask for all this. Namjoon felt unendingly terribly for the fact that Jin had been tied up in the mess of his band members. Namjoon preached group openness, yet he had more secrets than all of them combined.   
He wondered when he’d become such a damn dirty hypocrite.   
Namjoon wondered a lot of things. 

 

Jimin stretched out, having gotten the back of the van to himself. He hated how quiet it was, but what was he supposed to say to break the silence?   
He looked out the window and felt sat when he saw the rain fall on the window. He hoped Jungkook might feel better soon so that they might get some better weather. It always rained when Jungkook was upset. Or snowed, sometimes. If it was bad, there was hail sometimes.   
He was sure everyone knew that- wasn’t it so obvious? Jungkook had stormed- no pun intended- off earlier and it began to rain. Then he got knocked out, so it stopped. And then he woke up and had fun with the guys- the sun came out. But when he got angry, the clouds returned and thunder had rolled in. now that they’d left, it had begun to rain again.   
Hadn’t anyone noticed?   
When Jungkook messed up his foot and had to sit out performances- rain. When people were fighting in the band- rain. When Jungkook got really homesick on the road- rain. When things were wrong, it rained. When Jungkook grew angry, there was thunder. It was a recurring pattern over the years that had come to pass. It had taken Jimin a few years to notice, honestly, and he felt rather dumb after he did. So obviously, the toher members had to have noticed.   
Right?

 

 

“Hoseok. We’re here.” Yoongi shook Hoseok gently.   
“Mmn.” Hoseok protested, grabbing his hand and holding it to stop it from shaking it.   
“Come on, you can nap upstairs.” Yoongi tugged at him.   
“Let me enjoy this.” hoseok whined.   
“No, come on, nap upstairs.”  
“Carry me.”  
“Fuck to the no, Hoseok.”  
“But Yoongiiiiiiii. . .” Hoseok whined, pouting up at Yoongi.  
“Stop that.”   
“Yoongi-hyungniiiiiim. . .”  
“I’m not strong, I can’t carry you,” Yoongi protested, despairing.  
“If you believe in yourself. . .”  
“Hoseok for fuck’s sakes please just get out of the goddamn car.”  
“No fun.” Hoseok pouted and stretched out, exiting the car and letting Yoongi roll his shoulder and grimace. Hoseok had kept it in a really awkward position for a while. Jimin popped his head over Yoongi’s shoudler after he thought the car was empty.   
“So, you and Hoseok?”  
“What do you want, Jimin.” Yoongi asked, deadpan and unamused.   
“The TEA, hyung! The teeeeea!” Jimin patted at his shoulder.  
“Nobody says that.”  
“I do so shut up.”  
“I’d gladly.”  
“Good, now tell me about you and Hoseok!” Jimin grinned, and was met with a cold shoulder and silence. “Nothing???”  
“You told me to shut up.”  
“Hyung you know I didn’t mean that!”   
“Whatever. Shutting up anyways.” Yoongi exited the car and walked to catch up with the group, Jimin following behind fuming.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SPILL THE TEA YOONGI


	33. Taehyung, You Lazy Motherf-

It was too quiet in the dorm without Jungkook. Taehyung sat on his bed and stared at the ceiling. What was he even supposed to do? He couldn’t turn to Jimin, like he normally did. Hoseok would be who he’d go to, but. . . well, honestly, he didn’t know the what the snag was. There was a barrier there, he was pretty sure. He didn’t know how to ask Hoseok for help, maybe. It seemed like if he expressed the concern, he might be told he was being stupid about it and that he shouldn’t worry. And while it might be true, it really wouldn’t help any. Logically, he knew that that wasn’t anywhere near the case, but he couldn’t help but think that he’d be shrugged off. Hoseok had the best of intentions, always did, but sometimes his methods for cheering people up were unconventional, and Taehyung wasn’t entirely jazzed about what method he might be met with. He’d talk to him when the night came, he knew that.   
Still, it was rather annoying to fight off the dread pooling inside of him to begin with. 

Moments came and went, in and out, slow and fast, Taehyung just trying to occupy his mind in all this downtime. They never got downtime, and yet here they were, down a member and a dance instructor. The man had fallen deathly ill of late, just like many of the staff for music video production. All similar symptoms. So now, with the shortage of people to help things along, the idols were left to. . .well. . . idle. It was troubling. Namjoon and Yoongi had both gone off to their studios to polish up songs and produce new ideas. They were always busy like that. And Taehyung envied them for having something to do. He wished he had things to do. Anything, really, other than lethargically mess with his phone. He could watch something, but he doubted his ability to focus on anything that much. The same went for gaming. Besides, most of the time, he played the games with Jungkook, so it would really just be a downer on his already sour mood.   
Having nothing else to do, he took a leaf out of Yoongi’s book and fell asleep, stretched out on his bed and hugging a body pillow to his side. 

 

 

“Taehyung you lazy motherf-” Hoseok’s whisper woke taehyung up after a few hours.   
“I’m awake,” Taehyung groaned, placing an arm over his eyes.   
“I texted you like, twenty times.” Hoseok complained.   
“Really?” He croaked, sitting up and checking his phone.   
Which, to his discovery, was dead as a doornail.   
“Huh.”  
“Yeah, it’s time to go so you can get introduced and all that. Not all the coven is gonna be there, but a decent amount should be. And food, and you’ll get put on call. But i’ll have to make sure it’s with me, since you’re so green. You shouldn’t see any action right off the bat, but it’s really important that you-”  
“Can we talk about it on the way?” Taehyung interrupted him, grabbing his charger and stuffing it in his pocket with his phone. “I’m. . . really damn hungry.” He smiled softly up at Hoseok, who snorted.   
“Fix your hair first, then we’ll go. Christ, even in death, you’re so food driven.” 

 

 

It was cold outside. But two men walked through the icy rain in light fall outfits, unbothered to say the least, as they chatted back and forth.   
Without blood, their bodies were already cold to the touch. What difference did it make to add a little cold air?   
Walking a little close to uptown, they didn’t mind where they were going as they mosied, with no real desire to reach their destination in haste. It was just another introduction, they didn’t see what weight it should carry to them. They’d show up, of course. Just not on time. Hopefully, they’d miss a healthy amount of it without getting skinned.   
The footsteps behind them were just too quiet to detect, even with above-human senses. What good did advanced hearing do against the advanced stealth?   
They could only tell something was wrong when they were forced to stop walking, their bodies no longer obeying them as a soft song reached their ears. Immediately, their limbs stopped taking commands, locking into place and hearts beginning to pound uncontrollably in their ears. They’d been caught in a trap.   
“More mask men.” Someone reported from behind them.   
“Of status?” A woman asked, just barely outside of the two’s field of vision. Her voice was muffled noticeably.   
“Grunts, looks like.”   
“Hmm. Not useful at all.” The woman’s pout could be heard. “Kill them, please.”   
“Yes, ma’am.”  
The last thing the two men saw was a solemn face of a china mask over the features of a black haired woman staring at them almost mockingly. 

 

 

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN NAMJOON AND YOONGI DIDN’T COME BACK FROM THE STUDIOS LAST NIGHT?!?!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not sorry in the slightest.jpg


	34. SORRY AUTHOR'S A DUMB BITCH

ACCIDENTALLY UPDATED BUNNY AND CAT TO THIS FIC SO I'M SORRY THERE"S NOT ACTUALLY AN UPDATE


	35. Priorities

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “If we don’t, the Mask’ll tear our spines out, idiot.”
> 
> “Who’s. . .” Taehyung began. 
> 
> “Our big boss man, idiot.” The woman snapped.
> 
> “I knew he wasn’t a myth.” He mumbled. 
> 
> “Taehyung, priorities!” Hoseok snapped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not dead guys, just a vampire now, wassup
> 
> Anyways I'm sorry for not updating, but I finally have some ideas to write myself out of the corner I put myself in. I'm excited for what's to come!

As soon as Taehyung and Hoseok walked into the warehouse, they were met with an angry bubbling and others running up and down the halls. 

“What’s going on?” Taehyung asked Hoseok, tugging on his sleeve. 

“I don’t know,” He frowned and snagged a woman by the shoulder. She looked furious. 

“What, Hoseok?”

“What the hell is going on?” He asked as she wrenched herself from his grip. 

“Pink ties just killed two of our own. The mask ordered an attack. We’ve gotta go. Get your friend ready to kick some ass.”

“Wait- all hands on deck? Really?” Hoseok frowned. “He’s not even an official member yet-”

“Hoseok, they have sirens. It’s gonna have to be all hands on deck tonight.”

“S- sirens? Really?” Taehyung stared on as Hoseok’s face was painted in fear. 

“Yeah. They got two of our guys. Some of us are going to have to go in deaf ahead of time to take them out, but we don’t know what else they’ve got hidden to fuck us over with.”

“Then why are we attacking?”

“If we don’t, the Mask’ll tear our spines out, idiot.”

“Who’s. . .” Taehyung began. 

“Our big boss man, idiot.” The woman snapped.

“I knew he wasn’t a myth.” He mumbled. 

“Taehyung, priorities!” Hoseok snapped. 

“Listen, I’m going to be one of the first people out there. Get your friend armed. Hopefully, I’ll see you on the other side.” She nodded and turned, running back into the flow of people. Hoseok was left appearing deathly pale.

“Hyung?” Taehyung nudged him.

“Yes?”

“We should go home, shouldn’t we?”

“We can’t.”

“Why not?”

“She was right. The Mask would kill us if we even though about deserting.”

“Why?”

“I don’t. . .know.” He admitted. He glanced around. “. . . Okay. Okay, here. Follow me. Look pissed off. You’re an actor, you can do that, right?” 

“Yeah.” Taehyung nodded, thinking of all the things that pissed him off as best as he could to control his face into anger, and Hoseok began marching against the flow of foot traffic. Taehyung struggled to keep up, but squared his shoulders and began marching after him, letting his feet fall heavy as Hoseok led him somewhere deeper into the abandoned complex. 

 

“Hide here.” Hoseok instructed the younger.

“What- I- Really?” Taehyung blinked. 

“Yes, idiot. Hide. You’ll be able to find the blood after everyone’s gone, so help yourself. I don’t want you getting hurt and caught up in this more than you already are.” Hoseok pushed Taehyung into a room. “It’s bad enough that you’re technically one of us, it’s even worse that the fucking pink ties are attacking now, and so close to the dorm.” 

“I- Hide with me. Hoseok, hide with me.” taehyung tried to pull him into the room, but Hoseok knew better how to use his above-human speed, and slammed the door in Taehyung’s face. 

“They’ll notice my absence. You’re new, Tae, but I’ve been here a long time. They’ll notice if I don’t show.” Hoseok spoke through the door as Taehyung pounded on the door, demanding that he open it. 

“Please, just hide with me,” He began crying. 

“I wish I could, TaeTae. I wish I could.” Hoseok’s voice was soft, but the clicking of the lock was not. 

And the silence that filled the next moment wasn’t that gentle on Taehyung, either.


	36. Oh. Vampire Strength. Cool.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It had been a hell week. He’d become a vampire- of all things! And he had hardly thought they existed!- he’d been disowned by Jungkook for all intents and purposes (After the maknae had been hit by a damn car), and now. . . this. This felt like the nail in the coffin (Which, as Taehyung thought it, sent a small quiver of a laugh from his mouth due to the small joke). 
> 
> He let his tears drip down his cheeks and get his hoodie wet, and the ends of his sleeves became saturated with his tears, gasping for breath from his hard sobs. He was giving himself a headache. He didn’t care. He couldn’t care. It was just another terrible event, now, wasn’t it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a combination of world building, comedy, and oof. A mix of all the good things in fanfic!

Taehyung tucked himself into corner of the room, hiccupping sobs wracking his body as he listened to people thunder past, yelling to each other in the hectic scramble for revenge. The flow of footsteps outside slowed, slowed, slowed, and suddenly, there was no sound except for the buzzing of fluorescent lights. Taehyung let himself cry openly, then, knowing there was nobody to bear witness to his sorrow. It had been a hell week. He’d become a vampire- of all things! And he had hardly thought they existed!- he’d been disowned by Jungkook for all intents and purposes (After the maknae had been hit by a damn car), and now. . . this. This felt like the nail in the coffin (Which, as Taehyung thought it, sent a small quiver of a laugh from his mouth due to the small joke). 

He let his tears drip down his cheeks and get his hoodie wet, and the ends of his sleeves became saturated with his tears, gasping for breath from his hard sobs. He was giving himself a headache. He didn’t care. He couldn’t care. It was just another terrible event, now, wasn’t it?

 

Jin sat in bed, angry. Why was it that every time things were starting to wind down, something fucking happened? It was always something. As much as being around the band members was making him crazy with all the secrets, he hated being all separated far more. Jungkook in the hospital, Yoongi and Namjoon at the studio, Taehyung and Namjoon playing hookie, apparently, and the only person left in the dorm with him was Jimin, who was distracting himself from the issues they were facing. Jin wished he could do the same. 

“Hi, Jin-hyung.” 

“Hi, Yoongi-ssi.” He replied absently. “Wait, Yoongi?” 

“Yeah, that’s me.” Yoongi snorted, wandering into the room from where he’d been lurking in the doorway. 

“When did you get home?”

“Just a bit ago.” He shrugged. “Why?”

“Is Namjoon home?” 

“No, the idiot is locked in his lab blasting the music so loud that I couldn’t get him out. I think he’s doing a vlive or something.”

“Dammit.” Jin laid back in his bed, frowning. 

“Why damn it?” Yoongi asked, strolling along his side of the room and walked around, putting things where they belonged in a semblance of organization that he only seemed to understand. 

“Wanted to talk to him.” Jin sighed. “I just feel like I should, you know?”

“Yeah, I get it “ Yoongi nodded. “Probably cause you were all sorts of over him when you were drunk.” 

“WHAT?” Jin shot upright, eyes wide and staring at Yoongi as the man glanced over his shoulder. He huffed a laugh, a vaguely amused smile crossing his face.

“Oh yeah. You were messy drunk, hyung. Like, bad.” Yoongi shuffled some items around on his dresser. 

“What did I say?!”

“I don't know, I was in here the whole time.”

“Then how did you know I was messy drunk?”

“Namjoon carried you to bed.”

“He did?” Jin asked, and felt his heart get soft for a moment.

“Yeah. You babbled. It was kinda annoying.”

“Well. Thanks for supporting me.” Jin clicked his tongue, quite obviously disappointed.

“You're welcome, hyung.” Yoongi hummed.

“Do you think I said anything embarrassing?” Jin worried.

“I mean, you opened your mouth, so probably.”

“YAHH, HOW DARE YOU?!”

 

 

“Where am I goin’?” Hoseok asked, coming to the desk in the planning room with a saunter as he tightened his gloves. He was late, and missed most of the instructions, but this hardly mattered. What mattered was that he was there, and ready to wreak havoc. 

“Backup for the squad going in silent. Go find them.” Soohun waved in his general area.

“Aww, come on, you won’t even put me on the front lines? Have we drifted apart that much?” Hoseok pouted. 

“This is tactical. You’re what we call a badass. You’ll make sure nobody’s left behind to battle or tattle. I don’t need you going in headfirst and getting killed. I need you kicking remaining siren ass and whoever they have stationed to kill off the killers of the sirens, because you KNOW that they’re expecting us to strike back.” 

Hoseok huffed. “I know that you’re overthinking things.” 

“Hoseok, overthinking things is my job.” 

“I wish I got paid to do that.” 

“You get paid to fuck bitches up and prance around on a stage. Shut your goddamn mouth.” Soohun snorted at the dancer, who frowned back and began to strap his spiked facemask on. He’d had it since debut, and it served him well now that the spikes had been filed needle-sharp and tipped in silver. If a vampire punched for the jaw, they were getting their knuckles full of silver needles. He’d gotten a couple this way, by dodging so that his chin was in the line of fire with his dancer’s grace. It was all about strategy, about slowing down the moment and analyzing, about being hyper aware of your body. Hoseok was good with all of these things. Hoseok was good at fighting, and he’d begun to enjoy it, as long as he let his opponent come at him first. He didn’t like sneaking up on people. It felt too much like killing without a reason, instead of self defence. He knew he was bending the rules of his morals, but he didn’t care all that much. The other coven had their eye on his coven’s territory. That wasn’t right. That was bullshit. They kills some of his people and were sighted only two blocks from the dorm. This was also bullshit. This was also not right. So, he’d bend his morals like they were soft rubber, or a paperclip, or something easily bendable. 

His will wasn’t so easily bendable, or his skill in bending things, and so Hoseok was good at fighting. 

“Being an idol is hard, dickbag.” 

“I’m sure.” Soohun pouted in fake empathy, and Hoseok stuck his tongue out at the war planner, even though he wouldn’t see it behind his mask. 

“Fuck you.” 

 

“Stick to fucking that other rapper.” 

“Stick to keeping your fucking telepathy to yourself.” 

“Alright, alright.” Soohun laughed. “Go find your squad, Hoseok.” 

“I think I will.” He spat, and walked out of the room. 

 

Taehyung glanced out the window. He’d run out of tears to cry, and was now terribly dehydrated and terribly disappointed that the night was still as young as it was. And it was very, very young. He couldn’t tell if he was starving or if eating would make him sick. Or really drinking, he guessed. Either way, he didn’t know. But, he supposed, anything would be better than being holed up in the room. 

He stood, dusting off his pants as he wobbled on his feet. He hadn’t expected standing to make him dizzy. Yet, it did, and he wobbled to the door, sighing as he leaned against the wall. Maybe he really did need to eat. And drink. Soon. 

He tried the handle. 

It clicked and resisted him. 

He tried again. 

Same result. 

He groaned. That was right. Hoseok locked it. 

“Son of a bitch.” He growled. He was growing irritable. How could Hoseok lock him up when something so important was happening?! He was hungry, damn it, Hoseok knew that. 

Taehyung’s mind continued along an irrational path until he growled again, with force, and punched the door. 

And his hand went right through. 

“. . .Oh. Yeah. Vampire strength. Cool."


	37. Rookie Mistakes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I hate this,” Hoseok ground out. “This fucking sucks.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've had this chapter done for ages and I though I had updated it I'm so fucking sorry

Taehyung unlocked the door, reaching his arm through the hole he’d created in the door. He was still angry, but he felt less claustrophobic once he’d swung the door open and wandered into the hallway. That was helpful, lessening the headache pounding behind his eyes. He needed a meal and a nap. No, not a nap, a fucking thirteen hour binge-sleep. He sighed, and tilted his head back to stretch out his cramped neck. He could smell the hints of a good meal drifting down the hallway, and his stomach churned, bordering nausea because of exactly how hungry he was. He could acutely feel every tremor, and he was pretty sure his hands were shaking. He looked down. Yup, definitely shaking.

Damn Hoseok, making him wait so long for a proper meal. 

Taehyung trudged (really more of a waddle or a shuffle) down the hallway, beginning to search for the proper meal he’d been promised. 

 

 

“I hate this,” Hoseok ground out. “This fucking sucks.” 

Hoseok sat, crouched, grumbling protests that nobody could hear. Everybody’s ears were plugged and covered with intensive headphones. The risk of a siren’s song was terrifying. It meant they were entirely at the whim of the singer. They could find their own weapons in their throats under the spell of a siren. Or, even worse, the sirens would hold them in place until the opposing vampire grunts came to rip their throats themselves. He knew it’d be wise to shut his mouth, but he didn’t really care all that much. He was angry. How dare Soohun put the (arguably) best warrior in the backup lines? It was pissing him off, more and more, even as he figured out that he could play music through the headphones he had (he would admit, that lightened his mood a little.) 

Soon enough, they gave the signal to move forward. The footsoldiers must be prepping to charge in. 

They wouldn’t dare to with sirens hovering around, but they must be preparing. 

Hoseok shifted his weight to his toes, preparing to spring up as the first line of attackers charged to the siren’s location. He wished he was going in as he felt feet thud past him. With his hearing so well impaired, he had begun observing is other senses far more. It seemed to make up for the less-than-optimal fighting conditions. 

Not that he’d cared. He’d’ve fought them all blind, he grumbled once more, rocking on his feet as he watched the vampires cross rooftops to where the sirens had been located. He smiled as he watched them flank and over take them in perfect unison, hardly struggling to bring down the weak creatures. Sirens were frail, easy to break but hard to get to. Hoseok almost felt bad- sirens were often plenty nice when masquerading as human. Of course, the greedy ones would seduce you and steal all your shit, but most were soft spoken and small, frail looking little people that smiled a lot. He wondered pretty often if Jimin was a siren, or like, half-siren, and that was why his voice captivated everyone and he was so pretty. He could lure somebody to his death if he wanted. But he was too kind hearted to. 

Hoseok watched from his perch as the vampires celebrated and called it in, removing their headphones. 

Rookie fucking mistake.

Hoseok hissed through his teeth as they went rigid, springing into action to find the second siren that Soohun had planned for. 

He guessed the buzzard was smarter than he acted. 

He also guessed he didn’t have much time to shut up the siren before a whole host of his comrades were spaghettified. 

He ran and scaled buildings, following a whole different route than the others to find where they’d hid the second one. 

“If I were a singing monstrosity, where would I hide?” He mused, scanning his environment with a sharp gaze. 

There. The balcony. There was a figure holding a bullhorn. While it looked ridiculous, it was effective. Their voice carried to the lower rooftop and held the group hostage as it served to alert the guards that were, no doubt, meant to take care of anyone snared by the bastard.

Hoseok began going about getting to where he could easily take care of the siren, and made a habit of glancing over his shoulder to check on the trapped others. He sprung across rooftops, stopping only to glance at the rigid vampires and to calculate the rest of his path to the remaining siren.

 

“What are you doing here?” Somebody spoke, and Taehyung jumped, swiveling and shaking. 

“I need to eat.” He responded. He’d been caught, and Hoseok would get in trouble for supporting him. He looked up at the person that had snuck on him and paled. 

Tall, dressed in sweeping layers of all black, and a solid wooden mask of origin in a different asian culture than Taehyung was very familiar with at all. The man (he was built like a man, and Taehyung had a feeling he was hesitant to doubt) stayed silent for a moment. 

“I-I’m sorry. I was hiding in that room.” His voice began to tremble. The Mask. The fabled strongest one that was making everyone fight out there that night. 

“You said you need to eat. Come on.” The Mask strode past him, speaking in a heavy American accent. Taehyung frowned. A foreigner was in charge of this massive gang? Strange. But he followed indeed as the man had beckoned. 

“Why aren’t you angry?” 

“You’re new. I would feel bad to punish you for being afraid. Most people need at least a little training before they get forced to face off with the pink ties. They might sound ridiculous, but they’re far stronger than you think.” The Mask’s voice was deep, and Taehyung was beginning to get a sense that the accent was fake as it slipped into a more comfortable use of the language before it was caught. 

“Oh.” Taehyung nodded. 

“What’s your name, newcomer?” The Mask seemed to glance over his shoulder. 

“Kim Taehyung. Uh, s-sir.” 

“Like the singer, Kim Taehyung?” 

“There’s a few of us in the industry. I’m afraid I don’t know which one you’re talking about.” Taehyung looked down. Of course he’d get recognised now of all times, eyes red and voice raw from crying and limbs shaking of hunger and fear. 

“From that big group that’s been going international. BTS, isn’t it? Bangtan. . . something. I forget.” The Mask dismissed with a wave of his hand. 

“That would be me.” 

“Let me tell you something, Kim.” The Mask cracked his knuckles. “You should run far away from this gang.”


	38. Lidthp

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyyyy guess whos not dead foronce

“What do you mean?” Taehyung frowned. 

“You’re an idol. Idol’s aren’t built for this. You should get out while you can. Your life is probably FULL of drawbacks. What happens when you’re on tour?” 

“I-I don’t know.” 

“What happened when you go to a concert and find yourself neck deep in Pink tie territory?”

“I, uhhh-”

“What happens when you go into battle and get bruised where you can’t hide it from your fans? Or worse, what happens when you’re brutally killed? Pretty boys like you don’t last long in battle.”

“My friend Hoseok is out there fighting right now!” Taehyung protested. “He must have a trick or something.”

“I know, alright?” The Mask growled. “I fucking know. But I can’t get rid of him.” 

“I need food, anyways. I can’t really find that on my own.” Taehyung continued. 

“You’re too ballsy.” 

“I think I’m just ballsy enough if it keeps me from starving to death.” 

“Touche, but also you should hold your tongue a little bit better.” 

“Whatever, as long as I’m fed.” Taehyung shrugged, and the Mask exasperatedly shook his head. 

“Are all idols annoying bitchbabies, or just you?” 

“I don’t think I’m the bitchbaby here. You’re the one telling me that I’m a pansy. Maybe you have some bitchbaby qualities you’re hiding behind your shitty american accent and Filipino mask. Maybe your massive fuckin’ vampire gang is you overcompensating for something.” 

“Kim, didn’t I just tell you to hold your tongue?” 

“You did, but I lack the intelligence to listen.” 

The Mask only sighed. 

 

 

Hoseok dusted off his thighs with a heavy sense of self-satisfaction over the dead body of the last siren. No matter how much his main life got fucked, he’d always be the master of this one. He kicked ALL of the ass as a vampire. He didn’t know why he’d even dusted off his thighs. They were spotless anyways.

Typical, sexy genius Hoseok, he thought to himself, rather proudly.

“Alright,” he purred to himself, grabbing his walkie talkie. “You guys should be clear to charge. I’m gonna join. I can’t sit around and look pretty all the time.” 

“You’d better not.” Soohun’s voice echoed over the device. 

“You’re no fun. Fine, I’ll head back to base then.” Hoseok pouted. 

“Good plan. You can sit still and look pretty THERE instead.” 

“I always look pretty. No matter how many people I’m killing.” 

“Debatable.” 

“I’ll debate all you want after you’ve burned all the bodies of those other assholes.” 

“Fair.” 

“I know I am.” 

“Well, here I come with the fire. After I’m done scalping the pink tie leader. But I think I’ll leave that one to the mask. He deserves that.”

 

Hoseok snorted. “Bootlicker.” 

“Porcupine.” Soohun replied. “Alright, see ya.” 

“Unfortunately.” 

Hoseok smiled as the radio clicked silent. He enjoyed his jobs too much. 

 

 

 

Taehyung was on his third blood bag.

“You’ve never eaten enough in a sitting, have you?” The Mask asked from where he was propped against a wall. His voice hardly slipped through the wooden mask, but it reeked of pity. 

“I’ve only ever eaten a guy like kind of. Hoseok stopped me before I was full.” Taehyung wiped the corner of his mouth, and his stomach sank. “That man might still be dead.” 

“He’s probably alright.” The Mask dismissed. “Have you been visiting the coven at all?”

“I got turned like, a few weeks ago? I don’t remember. I’ve been really really busy. And Jin-hyung sits outside the door every night trying to make sure nobody leaves. It’s been hard to sneak out lately.”

“You’re truly that busy?” 

“Yeah. Like, reaaaally bad. It’s not even awards show season. Or comeback season.” Taehyung frowned. “It’s working us ragged, especially with Jungkook in the hospital. Namjoon-hyung has been so stressed, I can see it in his face. It’s worse than debut was.” Taehyung sipped at the opening in the bloodbag again. “Did you know it’s REALLY hard to speak with this fangs? I’m barely controlling the lisp. Sthee? If I justh talk, it sthounds like I’m a five year old again. I’m having the worstht flathbackths.” 

“Oh dear.” It hit the Mask exactly what he was dealing with. 

“But if I pull them back a little I can speak normally.” Taehyung concluded. “You remind me of Namjoonie hyung.” 

“I don’t know who that is. Full name?” 

“Kim Namjoon? Leader of BTS? We got nominated for a grammy, you know. It’s all thanks to Namjoonie-hyung. He’s magnifigant.” 

“Magnificent?” There was an audible eyebrow being raised. 

“That. Why are you staying with me, by the way? Don’t you need to go be highly intimidating for kick a puppy or something?” 

“I don’t kick puppies. I kick idiots. My foot is itching.” 

“Ooh, good burn. You’re cool, I like you.”


End file.
